"The tension that now exists between the city government and borough wardens also shows Ma and his administration's inability to tackle a crisis and Ma's failure to think through implementation of his policy," Hu said.
Taipei City councilors from across party lines also voiced their disagreement over the reforms .
DPP city council caucus convener Lee Chien-chang (李建昌) said the city government had neglected the opinions of borough wardens and made the policy unilaterally.
"It further highlighted Ma's arrogance ... since winning a landslide victory in the mayoral election," Lee said.
"We will ask Ma to make a special report to the city council after the [Lunar] New Year," the city councilor said.
In addition, KMT city councilors Chen Chin-hsiang (
Under the reform plan, borough wardens, who used to have sole authority to appoint their neighborhood chiefs, may now only issue recommendations for the appointment. The final decision on the neighborhood chiefs will lie with district chiefs, who are appointed by the mayor.
The appointed neighborhood chiefs would have to include directors of local community management boards, which take care of apartment blocks.
The Bureau of Civil Affairs also plans to cut the monthly NT$2,000 transport allowance for neighborhood chiefs, awarding half the amount to the borough wardens.
The borough wardens said that the change will create tension between them and the neighborhood chiefs, who they say will feel that the borough wardens have deprived them of half of a subsidy to which they consider themselves entitled.
The wardens complained that the plan has effectively smeared them and diminished their status.
Borough wardens receive a monthly allowance of NT$45,000 for stationery, postal, electric and water bills and an annual NT$200,000 for local construction expenses. They also receive payments for local construction works or public facilities deemed to have reduced the quality of life in their communities.
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