Five local government heads who had received “five stars” in an annual satisfaction survey released on May 29 by the Chinese-language Global Views Monthly yesterday received their awards in Taipei.
The magazine has been conducting the survey since 1995.
Respondents were asked whether they were satisfied with local government heads and whether the local government has made progress in eight specified areas.
Photo: CNA
Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅) of the DPP, independent Hualien County Commissioner Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁), Taitung County Commissioner Justin Huang (黃健庭) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Lienchiang County Commissioner Liu Tseng-ying (劉增應) of the KMT all received a five-star rating in the survey.
All five mayors and commissioners have received the recognition for at least two consecutive years, and Fu has won the recognition for nine consecutive years.
Lee Chien-hsing (李建興), the magazine’s deputy editor-in-chief, who was in charge of the survey this year, said five trends were observed in the survey, including the performance of the ruling party affecting the satisfaction ratings of the party’s local government heads.
As the central government implemented several reform policies, the average satisfaction ratings of local DPP heads dropped, while those of local KMT heads increased, he said.
Another factor that lowered ratings was city or county heads leaving office before their term ends, such as the case of former Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德), who became premier, Lee said.
In addition, local residents feel honored and become more supportive of the local head when the local government increases the city or county’s global visibility, he said, adding that local residents still care the most about infrastructure development.
Cheng, who received the highest satisfaction rating this year, said he wanted to change the public’s impression of Taoyuan from only “airport and factories” to a city that emphasizes “an environment, education and culture” that allows young families to settle down and realize their dreams, adding that the city has the highest birthrate in Taiwan proper.
Huang said Taitung was considered poor and as having many minority groups when he took office eight years ago, but now the county has the lowest unemployment rating in the nation, the annual revenues of local businesses and residents’ savings have increased, and the county has hosted international competitions.
Liu said the Matsu islands have limited natural resources and do not have any universities, but the local government has established a National Taiwan Ocean University branch, achieved the goal of 100 percent government-funded preschools and promoted to the world Matsu’s “blue tears” — a natural nighttime phenomenon of fluorescent blue patches caused by the algae Noctiluca scintillans.
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