Councilman Takes Aim at Deadbeat Parents

Deadbeat dads may have to clean up their act before they can do business with the city of Los Angeles.

Councilman Richard Alarcon introduced a motion to the City Council on Tuesday that would have staff study a plan to determine if applicants for contracts, jobs or grants owe child support.

“There is no way we should be using taxpayer money to support deadbeat dads,” Alarcon said.

The councilman asked that the city model its plan after one being implemented in Chicago and another being considered in Sacramento.

Alarcon’s plan would prohibit deadbeat parents from being employed by the city as well as prevent the awarding of contracts, loans, grants or other forms of city assistance to businesses whose owner or principal employees are delinquent on child-support payments.

Alarcon said the city would rely on the district attorney’s office files to identify those in arrears and would require that applicants sign an affidavit before being considered for a job or city contract.

The council’s personnel committee is expected to review the issue within 30 days.

Los Angeles County is working on developing a similar plan, requiring that departments submit information about its employees and businesses with county contracts.

The proposed county ordinance would allow the district attorney’s office to compare that information with its list of delinquent parents to tap their wages for unpaid child support.

About 700,000 children countywide are owed $2 billion in unpaid support, officials said.