In her recent column (“Don’t run from unions’’), Yvonne Abraham unintentionally gives a perfect example of why so many people are fed up with government and politics.

Abraham describes the practice of Boston City Hall officials recommending a “favored contractor,’’ writing that it is “perfectly legal,’’ and something that happens “all the time.’’

Exactly the problem. Government officials should not have favored contractors. To see this matter-of-factly described as perfectly legal is striking, and telling. 

Most people are not inherently cynical; they hope government officials would understand why having favored contractors is not acceptable for those who are charged with protecting the public interest, because it is in the public interest to maximize competition among qualified vendors. When people lose this hope, we end up where we are today.    

Greg Beeman

President

Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts

Woburn