Lawmakers must find way to go after deadbeat parents
Deadbeat parents, almost all men, have racked up $4.5 billion in unpaid child support payments in Ohio, it was learned last week. That is unacceptable.
Child support debts on the books go back to 1976, reported state Department of Job and Family Services official David Fleischman. In other words, some children have been born and grown to adulthood without adequate — or in some cases, any — support from their fathers.
Some state legislators are looking into ways to make it more difficult for noncustodial parents to dodge child support payments. That will not be simple, especially given the fact some of the deadbeats have limited earnings themselves.
That’s too bad — and yes, we do mean that sarcastically. Perhaps the deadbeats should have thought of their limited earnings potential before they fathered children.
When child support money can be collected, it should be. That is not happening under the current system, which means a change is in order.
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