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Scholars tell KMT seminar that local governments require redistricting

Though the Cabinet has returned a proposal by the Ministry of the Interior to unify the status of local governments, scholars said yesterday at a KMT-organized seminar that the country needs to redistrict its administrative zones.

They suggested that the government lump the 23 counties and cities into four regions when planning future public construction work to help bridge economic gaps between urban and rural areas.

"The government should think regionally when approaching the matter," said Ger Yeong-kuang (葛永光), a political scientist from National Taiwan University.

"By dividing the nation into four regions -- with Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Hualien as the hub of the northern, southern, western and eastern districts, respectively -- the government may better utilize its resources," he added.

On Monday, the Cabinet returned a draft measure to the interior ministry that calls for bringing the 21 counties and cities to the same status as the two special municipalities of Taipei and Kaohsiung.

The draft, however, part of a comprehensive program to make the government smaller and more efficient, fails to address fundamental ties between central and local governments, the Cabinet said.

"Take the northern region for example. Local governments in Keelung, Taipei and Taoyuan should pool their resources so their residents may enjoy the same level of welfare," Ger said.

Parents in the capital city may claim a certain amount of financial aid for pre-school children, which is not available to residents in other parts of the country.

While suspicious of the privileges enjoyed by the two municipalities, the DPP administration has advocated greater local autonomy.

Proponents of unifying the local governments say the idea is aimed at realizing the consensus reached by the National Development Conference, convened by former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) in 1996.

However, some scholars at yesterday's seminar did not agree.

"To my knowledge, the conference suggests downsizing the provincial government and abolishing direct elections for town and village chiefs," Ger noted. "It makes no mention of unifying the status of all local governments. It is simply unrealistic to expect all districts in a country to be equally prosperous."

Chen Li-kan (陳立剛), a political science professor at Soochow University disagreed, saying the special municipality system in Taiwan is questionable.

The two cities hire more public servants than all other local governments combined. According to central government statistics, one public servant serves some 40 residents in a special municipality, while one public servant serves some 120 residents in other cities and counties.

"This and other practices have caused residents outside the two municipalities to feel discriminated against," Chen said. "It is time the country redrew its administrative districts and adjusted ties between the central and local governments."

Taipei and Kaohsiung, with a population of 4.1 million, receive 41 percent of the Tax Redistribution Fund. The other 21 counties and cities, with a population of 18 million, receive 53 percent, with the government keeping the remainder for emergencies.
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