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How The Gig Economy Can Hurt Arizona Child Support Collections

MARK BRODIE: Nearly two years ago in his State of the State Address, Gov. Doug Ducey promised to make Arizona the center of the sharing economy. He’s focused on cutting regulations and welcoming companies that hire independent contractors like Uber, Lyft and Airbnb.

CHRISTINA ESTES: In that same speech, Ducey unveiled a new initiative going after parents who owe child support. By using #deadbeat, he ordered the Department of Economic Security to tweet names, photos and amounts owed. The idea was to spark tips and get parents to pay up.

But, sometimes, the two philosophies collide.

In the last fiscal year, the state collected nearly $270 million in child support by withholding income from paychecks.

Companies are required to report new part-time and full-time hires, but like most states, Arizona does not require companies to report independent contractors.

To learn more, I talked with Tasya Peterson with Arizona’s Department of Economic Security, the agency that collects child support.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story and headline has been updated to correct the dollar amount in child support the state collected, and to clarify the source of the funds collected.

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As a senior field correspondent, Christina Estes focuses on stories that impact our economy, your wallet and public policy.