Poll: Do you agree with a move to waive Kansas' $69 marriage license fee for couples who can't afford it? / LJWorld.com

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Response		Percent	Votes
No		69%	855
Yes		27%	335
Not sure		3%	48
Total	1238

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AnnaUndercover 3 years, 3 months ago

Oh my gosh. Let people in love get married. For crying out loud. I wish government wasn't involved in marriage at all.

justoneopinion 3 years, 3 months ago

I wonder why its exactly $69???? Conspiracy???? Hmmm....

TopJayhawk 3 years, 3 months ago

If you can't afford $69.00 then you can't afford to get married. Get a job and you too can afford $69.00

merrill 3 years, 3 months ago

Why should couples need to get married?

Love is love no matter what.

50% of marriages end up not being married anymore.

Perhaps a marriage license should cost $10,000 and a divorce $69

denak 3 years, 3 months ago

No, I do not think the state should waive the fee for a marriage license.

It is only 34.50 per party. That isn't a lot of money. I sincerely doubt there is one couple out there who is being forced to forgo marriage simply because they can not come up with $69.

Dena

jayhawklawrence 3 years, 3 months ago

I would rather increase it to $200 and waive the fee if they go through a marriage preparation class.

Marriage is one of the most important commitments in a society and one of the keys to the strength and future of a nation.

Failed marriages and their offspring impact the economy and health of a nation far more than anyone realizes.

In other words, we all pay when marriages fail.

ruette 3 years, 3 months ago

To Anna: You wish the government weren't involved with marriage? I wish churches weren't involved!

xbusguy 3 years, 3 months ago

Take the marriage waiver, and use the Mastercard for divorce.

OonlyBonly 3 years, 3 months ago

If you can't afford a $69.00 marriage license fee how can you afford a marriage?

BorderRuffian 3 years, 3 months ago

Isn't it amazing how people can gripe about a $69 wedding license, but go out and spend thousands of dollars on special dresses, tuxes, receptions, flowers, parties, etc.?

labmonkey 3 years, 3 months ago

jayhawklawrence-

Who do you suggest teach the class? The government? Noone in the government has ever, ever been caught in a lie or cheating on their spouse.

The fee should not be waived. If a couple cannot afford that, they cannot afford to get married.

tao7 3 years, 3 months ago

Another dumb piece of legislation being introduced at a time of more important issues. What's next hunting wolves in Kansas? Oh yeah...another dumb piece of legislation being intro...ONLY IN KANSAS!

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 3 years, 3 months ago

This would be a non-issue if people would just come to the realization that love and marriage are mutually exclusive.

I blame (In descending order of magnitude of blameyness):

1.) Jane Austen 2.) Saint Valentine 3.) Hallmark Cards, Inc. 4.) John Edwards 5.) Frank Sinatra 6.) Al Gore

Newell_Post 3 years, 3 months ago

Well, at least somebody in the office that sets the fees for these things has a sense of humor. How could you possibly change it?

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 3 years, 3 months ago

It's a $75 fee to register a domestic partnership with the City of Lawrence. I call the $69 marriage fee a predatory pricing practice, it is anti-competitive and is illegal under antitrust law. It is an attempt to monopolize. I swear, at times, the State of Kansas can be worse than Microsoft.

Satirical 3 years, 3 months ago

I am pretty sure indigents can already receive a waiver. Also, there is always common law marriage in Kansas.

beatrice 3 years, 3 months ago

Are 25 percent of the people voting on this poll (at this moment) just pulling our legs?

I would think this a fine idea only if the fee-waiver application fee is $70.

Women, if the goes doesn't have 69 bucks to "splurge" on you and your big day, just say "No thanks."

beatrice 3 years, 3 months ago

"goes" should read "guy"

absolutelyridiculous 3 years, 3 months ago

Why is there a fee at all? Geez. The government is the one who requires it not me or my spouse. It's not like I hang it on the wall with the family photos.

labmonkey 3 years, 3 months ago

Beatrice-

I thought you were all for equality? Maybe the guy should say no thanks if the woman cannot splurge on the fee.

"This $69 is the last 69 (dollars) you'll ever get."

Bossa_Nova 3 years, 3 months ago

why would you want to marry someone who doesnt have $69?

ivalueamerica 3 years, 3 months ago

from the ks bar

Common Law Marriages A common law marriage is a marriage by agreement of the two persons without any formal ceremony or license. A common law marriage will be recognized in Kansas if the couple considers themselves to be married and publicly holds themselves out to be married and if they are legally eligible to marry. No minimum period of cohabitation is required.

Common Law marriages are subject to the same legal obligations and privileges that apply to marriages with licenses. Once a common law marriage is established, the couple must get a court ordered divorce to terminate the marriage.

1029 3 years, 3 months ago

Yes. In exchange for waiving the fee, the couple should have to sign a contract in which they agree to not have children, though. If the couple ever decides that they want to have children, they have to go back and pay the $69, as well as show proof that they can afford to have children. Too many people who can barely afford to take care of themselves are having children because they perceive getting married and reproducing as "the thing that people are supposed to do." Almost all of society's problems are rooted in the fact that people that shouldn't be reproducing are doing just that.

alm77 3 years, 3 months ago

"This would be a non-issue if people would just come to the realization that love and marriage are mutually exclusive."

HA!! I think a lot more people would be happier if they would realize that. It takes so much pressure off of a relationship when you don't let your feelings rule your level of commitment. Be committed first, the feelings will follow (with varying degrees of intensity, but they will follow).

beatrice 3 years, 3 months ago

Marriage is the leading cause of divorce.

beatrice 3 years, 3 months ago

labmonkey, how about if two people don't have $34.50 each to go "dutch treat" on the license, then maybe they aren't quite ready to tie the knot?

I'm all for equality, but if either party doesn't have $69, then they are facing an uphill battle that marriage won't fix.

mr_right_wing 3 years, 3 months ago

"Marriage is one of the most important commitments in a society and one of the keys to the strength and future of a nation. Failed marriages and their offspring impact the economy and health of a nation far more than anyone realizes. In other words, we all pay when marriages fail."

Wow...I am in shock that such words of wisdom would appear within these blogs! There is hope....

diplomacy205 3 years, 3 months ago

The fees for registering a domestic partnership and a marriage license should be the same.

The fee should never be waived.

meggers 3 years, 3 months ago

I think a more prudent question would be:

"Is it appropriate for the state legislature to concern itself with the marital status of the poor, at the very time when they're jeopardizing the basic health and well-being of the poor by making substantial and irresponsible cuts to Medicaid funds?"

The irony is so rich, I submitted the article to The Daily Show in hopes they'll run with it. The $69 license fee is just icing on the wedding cake.