Kickbacks

After a businessman had obtained a $4-million computer contract, he gave the manager of the department a “gift” of $25,000 to buy a new Mercedes-Benz and helped arrange financing on the balance (“County to Tighten Rules on Gifts to Workers,” Oct. 13).

My old-fashioned dictionary has “kickback” as the proper word for that situation. If the L.A. supervisors and all government agencies are really serious about ethics, even just a cup of coffee paid for by the contractor during negotiation is “bribery,” pure and simple.

SAM CASTELO

Irvine