Right now we are considering a billboard as well as an ad in the Oregonian. Please write me at robindescamp@yahoo.com if you have any other ideas for how we can get the word out. I have yet to figure out how to get all the names of alimony payers in this state aside from going to each courthouse and pouring through files. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do that.
Remember to sign our petition at Oregon Petition to Reform Alimony Laws and please pass this along to your friends and family as well. We are up to almost 140 signatures in less than two full days but we need more - many more!
It is important to clarify: Oregon Alimony Reform is NOT trying to eliminate alimony. We believe that in many cases, alimony is needed in order to help a recipient get back on their feet after a divorce and to give them time to find a career or re-enter whatever career they had before they stopped earning money. However, we do not believe that alimony should last longer than half the length of the marriage, with a maximum of ten years in marriages longer than 20 years. Ten years is long enough to get a degree if you don't have one and start fresh.
Perhaps most important: we believe a payer should be able to retire without having to engage in litigation. As it stands currently, an alimony payer cannot effectively retire unless they are willing to play Russian Roulette with their future, in hopes a judge will eliminate their alimony (or even reduce it) when they retire.
That means if a payer wants to retire, not only do they get half of what they could have expected in retirement payments (because half went to recipient in the divorce), but they will likely have to go in the hole every month eating away at their savings to pay alimony, while the recipient now gets to triple-dip (alimony, retirement and social security).
Wake up! Get involved! Please.
Robin
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