Petition planned for child support obligations

To the Editor:

Many people today are losing their jobs due to the poor economy.

Many of those people have child support obligations. If this is you, you are probably worried about how you will pay the support and still be able to pay bills and take care of yourself and your family.

I have a plan in my petition that I think will help you and many others.

I am asking for a government funded child support assistance program.

If you have lost a job through no fault of your own and you have a child support obligation, the government would pay that support for you while you are out of work as long as you are actively seeking employment. I know you really want to pay the support. You just can't because you don't have a job. Without the program, you will face consequences that are unfair. With this program, you would not get behind on support. You would not lose your license. You would not go to jail. You would not go to court every month. You would not face any of the usual consequences for failure to pay support.

All of the child support would be paid by the program as long as you are looking for work. The fact is, child support has to be paid. A child's needs do not stop just because the child support has. But right now, many hardworking people are losing their jobs and cannot pay their child support obligation.

I stand firm that deadbeats and those playing the system should be punished. This program would not help them. It is only for those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own and did pay support before they lost the job.

If this type of program would help you or if you are someone who thinks it is a good idea, please send me an e-mail saying you support my petition, 79trm@comcast.net. Or you can write to me by mail at 4818 S. Scott Rd., Claypool, Ind., 46510.

I am always open to suggestions. If you have any child support or visitation problem, write to me. I may already have a plan in my petition to help you.

Or, I can work with you to come up with one.

I am trying to stay fair to everyone. This is not a blanket petition. These issues are not one-size-fits-all. With my petition, I am trying to make the system firm, fair and efficient.

Tambi Manns,

Claypool, Ind.