Taipei City warns not to turn budget dispute into conflict

Taipei government officials warned yesterday that a dispute over recent changes to the nation's budget law "shouldn't be turned into a partisan confrontation and political conflict."

At issue are recent changes to the Law Governing the Allocation of Government Revenue and Expenditures.

At the behest of Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), the previous legislature -- dominated by KMT lawmakers -- passed amendments to the law that would give local governments an additional NT$150 billion annually from the central government's pocket.

The changes were passed in the final hours of the previous legislature's final session.

The Cabinet is considering asking the new legislature to overturn the amendments -- a request that would require a majority to pass.

Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇), a spokesman for the city government, called for a bi-partisan approach to the issue. The Taipei spokesman said the law has been passed and should stand.

Ma is currently visiting the UK and the Netherlands but is keeping tabs on the Cabinet's next move.

"Mayor Ma has shown concern over this matter, placing more than 10 calls to the Taipei City Government's secretary-general and director of the Bureau of Finance within hours after arriving in London on Sunday," Wu said.

Wu said the city supported revisions to the amendments if they were needed. But Taipei opposes overturning the amendments outright.

"We find it unfair and unreasonable to carry out a second review of the law when the legislature has more than 100 newly elected legislators who haven't had a chance to study and familiarize themselves with the changes," Wu said.

The current legislature convened for the first time on Feb 1.

Lee Sush-der (李述德), director of Taipei's Bureau of Finance, said the dispute was a political one. "The bottom line is whether the central government is willing to give out [more money as the law requires] to local governments and allow them more financial autonomy," Lee said.

The additional NT$150 billion will be deposited into the nation's tax redistribution fund, which is earmarked for local governments.

Wu noted that all local governments would benefit from the change -- not just Taipei.

"That being so, we don't understand why there are still people against it?" Wu said.

"The dispute over the issue is really unnecessary -- but for those who are creating trouble for themselves."