Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei city councilors yesterday proposed reinstating the practice of distributing cash to senior residents for this year’s Double Ninth Festival, but Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) questioned the program’s legitimacy and said the money should only be given out when the city has repaid all its debts.
Ko axed the annual festival’s cash gifts in 2015, sparking complaints from many senior residents.
Seven KMT city councilors yesterday urged the city government to restore the annual cash payments — NT$1,500 (US$47.57) for people aged 65 to 74; NT$3,000 for people aged 75 to 84; NT$5,000 for people aged 85 to 98; and NT$10,000 for people aged 99 and above.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The KMT caucus hopes its draft ordinance would be passed in the current session, which would benefit about 470,000 residents, KMT Taipei City Councilor Angela Ying (應曉薇) said.
Taipei is the only city that does not give out the annual cash payment, making the city’s senior residents feel like second-class citizens, KMT Taipei City Councilor Wang Hsin-yi (王欣儀) said.
Asked to comment on the proposal, Ko asked if it is legal and said he “vaguely” remembers that city councilors cannot demand that the government increase its budget.
The city government’s budget is limited, so it should prioritize subsidizing National Health Insurance, Ko said.
Double Ninth Festival cash gifts to senior residents should only be restored when the city government’s debt is fully repaid, he added.
“The city’s debt is about NT$94.8 billion, so giving out annual cash gifts would leave more debt to future generations,” Ko said.
Money would be better spent on other matters, such as social welfare, he said.
The city government believes establishing a long-term comprehensive care system for senior residents is important and limited resources should be used efficiently, Taipei City Government deputy spokeswoman Huang Ching-ying (黃?瑩) said.
Taipei residents aged 65 and above also receive free pneumococcal conjugate vaccinations each year and subsidized public transport fares, among other government programs, she added.
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