New York, NY —

Roses are red, violets are blue, get hitched to the mother of your child and we'll forgive what's overdue.

That's the message Governor Pataki is sending to deadbeat fathers in a marriage proposal with a legislative angle.

On this Valentine's Day, Pataki is pushing a proposal that would reward deadbeat fathers by forgiving their child-support debts to the state -- if they marry the mothers of their children.

He says the idea is to get those fathers involved with their children's lives and encourage them to support their families.

The governor also wants to create a tax credit for young, unmarried fathers who keep up with their child support payments.