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Issue Home October 1, 2002 Site Home

Letters to the Editor Policy

Do Men Have The Same Rights?

Now the tables are being turned! Eight years ago I was in the Susquehanna County Court and ordered to pay child support to my ex-wife, in the sum of $55.00/week. Voluntarily I agreed to have the support taken out of my paycheck so my child support was paid on time and the mother was able to help raise the child. It is my duty to pay support for my child and it was an honor to do so.

I never had to go to a Domestic Relations Conference! From a hearing examiner, I went right to a judge. It was my right to pay the support for my child.

I was served court papers to go right to the judge and paid right from the start. At one time (in eight years) I was out of work due to an injury. I was remarried at this time and had kids to support so I filed a modification to reduce my support.

Needless to say I was told in the court by the judge that my support will remain the same and the judge did not care how I lived, I had an obligation to pay my support or go to jail.

In the summer of 1996 I was getting my daughter for my weekend visit and the mother told me to keep her, she was not able to care for her. I asked her why and she said that she had it with her (daughter) and told me that it was her future husband that did not want her in the house.

Over the eight years of paying support, I tried to get custody of my daughter several times and was denied because I was working and the mother was on public assistance; she did not work and was able to care for the child.

When my daughter lived with me, from 1996 until 2002, I never asked the mother to pay support. I was working and making good money, all I wanted was my daughter from the beginning. In October of 2001 I was in an accident and it put me out of work. Things got bad so I called the mother to see if she could help with some type of support until I got back to work. The mother agreed to pay me $25.00 a week, but never did so I was forced to file for support in March, 2002. The mother was working and making over $9.00 an hour.

On March 23, 2002, the mother left her job. We went to court in May, but not right to the judge; we went to a domestic relations conference. At this time they could not uphold a support order, it needed to go to a hearing examiner. On June 17, 2002 I was awarded the sum of $26.00 a week and $2.00 in arrears. At this time the mother was playing the system (which is called public welfare) and stated to me over the phone that she would not pay me a dime because she was going on welfare and would not have to pay. 30 days from the order I filed a contempt of court through domestic relations and the mother filed a suspension (between June 17 and September 19). My contempt order was never heard but the mother’s order for suspension was; on September 19 at the domestic relations, not in front of a judge. The same office that cannot warrant me a support order in the beginning can suspend one that has not been paid.

I asked why the steps of domestic relations, then a hearing examiner, then a judge was the process now and not before when I was ordered to pay support. I was told it was the law. At the time of the suspension, I was not in agreement and asked to see a judge. I was told at the time of the hearing if the judge agrees with their decision I would be obligated to pay court costs.

Do you know that the law states in Pennsylvania if the party with visitation has a child more than 40 percent of the time the party does not have to pay support? I say this because, at the hearing my ex-wife (who had any visitation requested for the sake of the child who adores and loves her mother very much) tried to use this against me to get out of paying a measly $26.00 a week. Previous to these visitations the mother and I had a verbal visitation agreement of every other weekend and two weeks out of the summer. I lived in upstate New York; I relocated down here over a year ago, within three miles of the mother’s residence. My daughter asked me if she could see her mom more now and I told her absolutely. But when the mother used her visitation rights to not pay $26.00 a week, I was forced to go back to every other weekend.

I think at this time the courts need to restructure the law of support to equal rights for the men raising their children. So if a woman chooses the right not to support their child, uphold the law as they do to the deadbeat dads. I think it’s time that all men raising their children and feel that their rights are not equal should step up and be heard. I am all for equal rights and will walk hand in hand with any woman that raises their children for her rights to collect support, but give a man that is raising his kids the same rights that the women now have.

To all you deadbeat moms and dads:

The parent that is raising the child puts your son or daughter to bed and says "goodnight" and "I love you" will find a place in heaven. As for you deadbeats, there will be a place in hell!

If you are as interested as I am in protecting the right to support for fathers, feel free to write me at the address below. Please do not write unless you are sincere.

Sincerely,

Vincent J. DeCicco, Jr.

RR Box 133, Susquehanna, PA 18847

Our Town Council Gave Me Hope

Recently, I went to a Susquehanna Borough Council meeting concerning a problem with a property owner adjacent to me. (A very bad and dangerous one, "in my eyes.") Thinking to myself that I would get nowhere with this problem, I was amazed at their concern and the help they offered to give me, to protect our town, especially from people that own property, but don’t live here. I was very happy with the outcome of it!

On that note, have you noticed, our town has started to look pretty darn good! God bless all the people who are trying to make it that way!

Well, there is hope and I can see our council is doing their job.

Thank you, to our town council. You do care! And, thank you, County Transcript for giving me the opportunity to voice my opinion.

Sincerely,

Jackie Tarbox

Susquehanna, PA

How Does He Know?

Last week P. Jay Amadio stated in his column Suzanne Brainard is in over her head, snowed under with work. How does he know?

Our Commissioners stated she has a priority dealing with Union problems, usually mind boggling.

He then insinuates all these problems could have been solved if employees did not take an afternoon off to go on a boat ride.

I am delighted Jim Jennings is running for Commissioner. Yes, he does attend most of the meetings. I am most anxious to see what Mr. Jennings will do when he is on the other side of the Commissioner's table and then he has to put up with the endless bickering of a few people in the audience.

Furthermore, I do no know why P. Jay had to bring Dolly Parton's bikini into the discussion on this most important election. It did offend me.

Sincerely,

Marion Dabulas

Susquehanna, PA

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Letters To The Editor MUST BE SIGNED. They MUST INCLUDE a phone number for "daytime" contact. Letters MUST BE CONFIRMED VERBALLY with the author, before printing. At that time you may request to withhold your name. Letters should be as concise as possible, to keep both Readerâs and Editor's interest alike. Your opinions are important to us, but you must follow these guidelines to help assure their publishing.

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