The PFP legislative caucus yesterday charged the government with seeking to court senior citizens at the cost of sapping the nation's economy as shown in the sharp decrease in the projected expenditure for next year.
During a morning news conference, PFP legislative whip Liu Wen-hsiung (
He attributed the drop of NT$65.3 billion, or 22 percent, to the DPP plan to inflate spending on social welfare before the advent of elections for Taipei and Kaohsiung mayor in December and the presidential race in 2004.
Total central government expenditure for next year is estimated at NT$1.57 trillion, down NT$1.2 billion from the current year.
"How can the government turn the economy around when money earmarked for that purpose accounts for only 14 percent of its total spending?" Liu asked. "Meanwhile, the budget for social welfare is set at 18.3 percent, or NT$287.6 billion." The latter figure bespeaks a rise of 7.69 percent from that for the current year, he noted.
"The proposed budget will lead the working people to calculate they may as well stay home and live on welfare instead," the PFP lawmaker said. "The arrangement stands in stark contrast with President Chen Shui-bian's (
He urged the DPP administration to quit focusing its financial resources on currying favor with the country's 450,000 senior citizens.
Fellow PFP lawmaker Sheu Yuan-kuo (
Earlier, the ruling DPP said it would seek legal revisions to allow retired workers to collect the monthly allowance of NT$3,000.
"The suggested extension means an increase of 18.9 percent in annual spending for the old," Sheu said. "Though it is important to look after them, we cannot do so at the expense of economic development, which emerges as the ultimate solution to improving the standard of living for all."
The legislature will begin its budgetary review when lawmakers return from summer recess. On Monday, the KMT caucus pressed the Cabinet to take back the budget on similar grounds.
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