IN: Goverment Official Finds Out How it Feels

http://www.southbendtribune.com/stor...fficial_tr.sto

Roseland official tries to catch up on child support
David Snyder says drop in income keeps him from paying full amount.

COMMENTARY

By NANCY J. SULOK
Tribune Columnist

[SIG]

Deadbeat Dad.

That is how some in Roseland view Town Council member David R. Snyder.
They shout it at him during meetings and talk about it behind his back.

The name-calling stems from his failure to pay child support for his
two teenage sons who live in Texas with Snyder's ex-wife, Julianne
Mayfield. The older son is handicapped by a chromosomal disorder that
results in mental retardation and the inability to speak.

When the couple divorced in 2000, a judge in Texas ordered Snyder to
pay $1,300 a month to support the two boys. The support for the older
boy, who now is 17, is to continue for the rest of the boy's life.

Snyder defaulted immediately.

Records supplied by Mayfield list only sporadic payments until last
year, when Snyder was arrested for failing to pay. At that time, his
arrearage amounted to more than $61,000.

What has happened since then?

Records in St. Joseph Circuit Court show that Snyder agreed to a
payment schedule after his arrest.

A real estate broker who works on commission, Snyder's income varies
according to whether he sells any properties and the value of the sold
properties. He is to report his monthly income to the court and pay 30
percent of it toward his child support.

In addition, the entire $184 a month he receives for serving as a
member of the Roseland Town Council goes toward his child support.

Court records show that the payments he is making do not come close to
his $1,300-a-month obligation, which remains in effect. That means his
arrearage continues to grow.

The records supplied by Mayfield indicate he owed $87,600 on July 1.

"At the rate he's going, he'll never get caught up," Mayfield said.

Snyder agreed. He said it "will take a long time for me to work out of
that hole."

Snyder thinks the judge should modify the support order, because his
financial situation has changed. In 2000, he said, while going through
his divorce, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and was unable to
work. His income has declined significantly since then.

At the same time, he said, his ex-wife's income has improved. He tried
to claim credit for that, saying Mayfield's current income and
financial status are a result of the hard work they did together during
their 14-year marriage.

As far as Mayfield is concerned, child support is only part of the
problem.

Snyder has not gone to Texas to see his children, she said, and they
cannot travel here unaccompanied.

But child support is not Snyder's only financial headache.

He filed for bankruptcy in September 2002, listing debts of $280,417
and assets of $28,750.

Bankruptcy Judge Harry C. Dees Jr. allowed him to discharge his debts
in January 2003, and the case was closed the following month.

That means Snyder walked away from most of his debts. But his child
support obligations remain.

Also remaining is a federal tax lien against Snyder. He said he was
unable to pay his taxes in 2001 because of his health problems. Snyder
did not say how much that debt is, except that it is "not five
figures.''

Snyder told The Tribune last month that the tax liens and unpaid child
support keep him from owning property in his own name. He said he has
served as an adviser to his wife as she has bought several houses in
Roseland.

In another financial matter, while Snyder's divorce was going on in
Texas, he was sued by a man who accused him and his business,
Spencerville Ltd., of failing to make any payments on a real estate
lien note.

Snyder said the transaction involved a plan he and a partner had to
build houses on land owned by the plaintiff. They agreed to pay the
plaintiff for the land, then defaulted on the agreement. Snyder blamed
his partner for the bad deal.

A default judgment entered on June 28, 2000, awarded the plaintiff
$12,513 from Snyder.

After that action, Snyder said, he was able to reach an agreement with
the plaintiff. Court papers indicate Snyder paid the plaintiff $11,882
to settle the suit.

Nancy J. Sulok's columns appear on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. You
can reach her at , or by writing c/o South Bend
Tribune, 225 W. Colfax Ave., South Bend, IN 46626, telephone (574)
235-6234.

wrote in

Snyder thinks the judge should modify the support order, because his
financial situation has changed. In 2000, he said, while going through
his divorce, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and was unable to
work. His income has declined significantly since then.


At this point, it would be better for the POOR fellow to just let the cancer
take it's course!

When the couple divorced in 2000, a judge in Texas ordered Snyder to
pay $1,300 a month to support the two boys. The support for the older
boy, who now is 17, is to continue for the rest of the boy's life.


Snyder defaulted immediately.

Here is my question: What has he paid?. If the answer is nothing - I
do not feel sorry for him He has some money as he is surviving somehow.

The article indicating that he is paying something. 30% of his income,
which varies month to month and the 184 a month for serving on the city
council. It is sad that he is called a deadbeat dad after having
financial problems due to cancer and the condition of his son, that is
really sad.