Fri, Nov 26, 2010 page3

• 2010 ELECTIONS: ANALYSIS: Sinbei City candidates tussle over policy and budget

  • By Vincent Y. Chao / Staff Reporter
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  While the mayoral candidates for Sinbei City — the soon-to-be--renamed Taipei County — see eye to eye on very few things, both seem to agree that populist policies such as social benefits, MRT lines and urban renewal are the key to winning tomorrow’s election.

  Seizing on the opportunity created by the municipal upgrade next month, which will result in a larger share of public subsidies to finance large and costly projects (referred to as “beef” by officials from both sides), the candidates have been quick to make election promises that are seldom seen in other campaigns.

  The amount of subsidies given to the municipality have almost doubled over the past three years, with Ministry of Finance statistics showing a budget of NT$23.8 billion (US$782.9 million) in 2007 and NT$46.6 billion next year — a figure that includes a second one-time injection of NT$10 billion from the central government.

  Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) has vowed to build at least four new large hospitals, including one in Banciao, if elected. In addition, Chu said he would start construction of three circular MRT lines intersecting through parts of Taipei and Sinbei cities and build low-cost public housing in prime areas around MRT stations.

  Two of the lines would include parts of MRT projects already under construction, while a brand new line would circle outside most of Taipei City.

  By the end of his term, Chu said, construction would have started or been completed on more than 120km of new track, 80 stations and 10 MRT lines. For smaller communities, including Sijhih City, Ankeng and Tamsui Township (淡水), Chu has advocated the use of trams and high speed buses that would have their own dedicated lanes.

  He has also proposed an expansion of public transportation as part of a more comprehensive upgrade that would include Bus Rapid Transit lanes, other light rail networks and the designation of exclusive bicycle paths.

  Chu’s policy guide claims that public housing would help the -middle-class, young professionals and more disadvantaged groups “live and work happily in Sinbei City” by combating skyrocketing real estate prices. Much of the housing would be built on new land acquired by the government within a 15 minute walk of new MRT stations.

  Meanwhile, the KMT hopeful said he would also encourage businesses to set up shower rooms for bicycle commuters, increase the number of bicycle parking lots and expand the municipality’s network of bicycle lending stations.

  Chu said he hoped his policies would help the municipality play a leading role in Taiwan’s “green revolution.” Such ideas, which he claims are among the “world’s most advanced,” would help resolve a longstanding imbalance between private vehicles and public transit in Taipei County, Chu said.

  The KMT candidate has argued that his policies, for which his campaign has yet to provide cost estimates, would be heavily subsidized by the central government. Chu rejects allegations by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), his opponent in tomorrow’s election, that his plans are a “piece of beef Sinbei City cannot afford.”

  In an announcement early last month, Chu said central -government officials had already pledged their support for the projects.

  For her part, Tsai has argued that her policies are more “thought out, comprehensive and feasible” than those of her opponent. Tsai wants MRT planning, currently conducted mainly by the Taipei City Government, to be evenly split between the two cities and has called for a more targeted building approach that is more Sinbei City-centric.

  She has also proposed one new circular line outside most parts of Taipei City, the majority of which would be completed by 2020. In addition, she wants to build extensions to existing lines including those in Shenkeng Township (深坑), Sijhih and past Tamshui Township, and new lines leading to areas including Sanyin and Sansia Township (三峽).

  Rapid bus lines would start running on most of the planned MRT routes during construction, her policy guide says.

  Tsai’s policies also include the creation of a transport environment that is more friendly to bicycles, scooters and pedestrians, adding new exclusive lanes, parking spaces and a new smart signaling system. The system, which would also cover roads, would make all modes of transit flow more efficiently, she said.

  On the social front, Tsai has vowed to provide generous subsidies for daycare, promising early in her campaign to match contributions from the central government for children up to two years old. She said she would also expand daycare centers, lengthen after-school care and increase services to the elderly.

  If elected, the DPP candidate said she would hire up to 1,000 new community police officers while building three new metropolitan parks. Tsai said public housing is necessary to bring down housing prices and would give more disadvantaged groups a chance to be homeowners.

  In one of her potentially most costly schemes, Tsai said she wants to see the government play a greater role in urban renewal projects, which is in stark contrast with Chu, who has recommended an extension of his predecessor’s policies of giving developers floor-area bonuses — an approach that dictates the size of buildings allowed to be constructed on plots of land.

  Both candidates say land rezoning through the construction of MRT stations would revitalize nearby communities. Statistics from the Taipei County government show that more than 40 percent of residences in the municipality were built more than 30 years ago.

  Although Chu said the problems that have plagued urban renewal projects over the past two decades are to be found in cumbersome legal restrictions and insufficient bonuses for land developers, he doesn’t want to see “the city government become the biggest land developer, selling houses all day.”

  For Tsai, the current policy simply doesn’t work. Not only does she want the government to identify priority areas to fast-track renewal proposals, she also would like to see the government step in to facilitate negotiations between landowners and developers.

  During an election event earlier this month, she said the government should create a new development fund to finance such projects. Through this, “the government can play a greater role in helping plan new roads, parks and other public infrastructure,” she said.
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