The GOP wanted to reduce the deficit so pony up, children!

[Rose Siding]

Starting October 1st, the state will take a cut of the delinquent support payments it collects. Not from the finally-paying, non-custodial parent but from the actual amount collected -virtually from the hand of the kid.

The letter I received ("Notice of Annual Fee for Support Enforcement Services") explains that this is now required of the states by the Federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. How do you like that? Republicans got all fiscally responsible on the backs of children. And the working poor. Again. -Not that I'm without sympathy for those for whom meeting their familial obligations is a challenge, but justice for a price from the victim? (non-payment of court ordered support is a crime, after all. And there is a victim)

They're starting small -a $25 per year fee- but it's naive to think that having tapped in on this cash flow, that won't increase. And with all of the other, much more critical outrages that abound, who will even care about one more offense from our legislative bodies? And it is offensive. Under whose set of values are we to be billed for justice?

The fee won't be required from those who have previously received assistance from certain government funds. Still, it seems wrong to me in principle to pay a fee for enforcement of the law.

[SharonAnn]

1. The amount should be added to the cost of the person paying it.

BTW, good framing of the issue. "but justice for a price from the victim?"

So now, if the non-custodial parent has to be forced by a court to pay for a child's support, the child has to pay for that enforcement.

That's definitely "Bush-land". It's sort of like Alice-in-Wonderland but in Bush-land it's always the poor, elderly, young, disadvantaged, disabled and weak who pay. Institutionalized bullying, supported by the federal government.