There has been much discussion about upgrading counties and cities, such as forming a “greater Hsinchu.” President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has convened senior party and government officials to discuss the issue, and a motion has been proposed in the Legislative Yuan for handling amendments to the Local Government Act (地方制度法).
Taiwan is divided into three social tiers: The six special municipalities are allocated 62.76 percent of the central government’s revenue of more than NT$300 billion (US$10.87 billion), except for special budgets, while 24 percent goes to the 16 counties and provincial cities, and 8.7 percent to the nation’s 198 townships and county-administered cities.
I lived for more than 10 years in Taipei, where I enjoyed Taiwan’s convenient transportation, healthcare, public facilities and administrative efficiency. After returning to the south to serve as a local government head, I became aware of the huge disparity in resources.
There are great differences in budget allocation, administrative efficiency, overlapping laws and regulations, integration of regional governance, and even the restraints imposed by one level of government on another, which also makes local governing more difficult.
In 2020, the National Development Council included Pingtung County’s Fangliao Township (枋寮) among 134 townships prioritized for local revitalization because of its aging population and low birthrate. As mayor of Fangliao, I worked to make it the first township in the country to submit a revitalization plan.
With guidance from National Pingtung University, Fangliao’s plan was given the highest central government budget of any township in Pingtung County. The Fangliao Township Office’s administrative team was at first doubtful, but eventually completed the process, and the outcome made it all worthwhile.
However, many other township offices gave up halfway through because they had too few resources and staff, which often put leaders who were eager to make an effort in an impossible position.
People might say that rural townships should look like what they are. Indeed, each region has a unique background and style of development, but this should not be an excuse for the gap between cities and rural areas.
While townships would not expect to have the same level of development as special municipalities, there should not be “one country, two systems,” at least in terms of infrastructure. People should not be treated as second or third-class citizens because of where they live.
It is good that the public has opened the door to discussion regarding the act, but as the mayor of a rural township, I should take the bold step at this critical moment of discussing not only the governance system, but also a range of issues such as the Local Government Act (地方制度法), administrative subdivisions and the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法).
People have expressed various views about the system, such as suggesting that it be based on the eight-prefecture model instituted in 1920 during the Japanese colonial period, while others have suggested expanding and integrating the scope of second and third-tier elected administrative districts, and giving more authority to local self-governance.
In any case, now is a good opportunity for reform. The legal amendment process will hopefully be thoughtful and generate reasonable, rational proposals that can make “one island, one destiny” more than just a slogan.
Archer Chen is mayor of Fangliao Township in Pingtung County.
Translated by Julian Clegg
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