gavra_at_work, DY: WADR to BTguy, I believe his main issue is that we should not be manipulating the system at all. Assuming shaddchonim (and others proposing shidduchim) have the best interests of the couple in mind, the shaddchan proposes what he/she thinks is the best shidduch. To pay out so that the second best shidduch is proposed does sound wrong.
Then he should say so. This would actually be the strongest argument against closing the age gap. However, why do you assume that a closer in age girl is second best? In many respects, she’s better. If a particular boy feels needs a younger girl, nobody’s forcing him to go out with an older one.
As far as “manipulating the system”, it sounds evil, especially when some people call it “social engineering”, but if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, (and as I wrote, it won’t cause inferior shidduchim) what’s really the problem? This possible hashkafah issue is best left to our gedolim, and we know where they stand.