Melanie/Mark, Dennis/Frank, and others … ask the Hillsider to ask them

Hillsider_Editor Sep 13, 2010 6 Comments

Do you have a question you would like to ask the candidates? The Hillsider will contact them with questions. Please help give us ideas. You could comment here or you could email me at hillsider @ sundogpress.com.  I need your questions by Tuesday, Sept. 14. The Hillsider will run the candidate’s answers in its October issue.

Here are the candidates that we plan to include:

Minnesota Sixth District Judge for Court 11
Mike Cuzzo
Timothy A. Costley

Minnesota State Representative District 7B:
Tony Salls (Independence)
Travis Silvers (Republican) Facebook page
Kerry Gauthier (Democratic-Farmer-Labor)kerryforrep.com

Minnesota State Senator for District 7
Rilla Debot Opelt (Republican)
Roger J. Reinert (DFL)

District 1 County Commissioner
Dennis Fink
Frank Jewell

County Attorney
Melanie Ford
Mark Rubin

Minnesota Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Tom Horner & James A. Mulder (Independence)
Tom Emmer & Annette T. Meeks (Republican)
Mark Dayton & Yvonne Prettner Solon (DFL)

I am looking forward to some unique questions.

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6 Comments

TimK

about 14 years ago 

Ask Fink if he thinks the county board should revise it's ethics policy to coincide with civil service policy- i.e., board members having the same code of conduct as employees of the county. If his answer is YES, then when can we expect that resolution to come before the board. If his answer is NO, then why not?

Paul Lundgren

about 14 years ago 

I'd like the Senate and House candidates to state their positions on allowing liquor stores to sell booze on Sundays in Minnesota.

As previously noted on PDD, the people have spoken on this.

zra

about 14 years ago 

I'd like to ask (after the setup): 

Noncustodial parents who are required to pay child support aren't able to deduct support and maintenance payments from their income taxes. Current tax laws allow for deductions to be made for child care expenses. To me, it seems that noncustodial parents (which are largely made up of fathers ... rather disproportionately, I might add) wind up getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop when it comes to taxes.


The minimum percentage that is deducted from a noncustodial parent's paycheck is about 25% for one dependent and increases incrementally from there, depending on the number of children. This can add up to a fairly significant amount to be responsible for over the course of the year when there's no chance of recouping any of it through tax credits, and in many cases contributes to low income situations in the case of the noncustodial parent.

Nonpayment of child support and maintenance is severely punished by the state, oftentimes making it impossible for the noncustodial parent to regain his/her footing with the state. A tax break in favor of noncustodial parents, that would allow them to deduct at least a part or (optimally) all of the money that they pay in child support as an incentive to keep up their responsibilities would surely result in higher compliance within the program and reduce incarceration and penalties.

My question is this: Would you as governor consider changes to the tax code to favor noncustodial parents as an incentive to maintain compliance with regard to child support?

zra

about 14 years ago 

oops...scratch governor...that was a different thought altogether...

zra

about 14 years ago 

wait...go with governor, or anyone who feels qualified to answer...

I know a lot of single noncustodial dads who have a hard time making ends meet and still be able to maintain their child support payments.

Hillsider_Editor

about 14 years ago 

Hi Tim, Paul and Zra,

Thanks for you ideas. 

Anyone or anything else?

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