KEELUNG (TVBS News) — Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) on Monday (Nov. 11) urged Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) county and city mayors to prioritize the bigger picture over the final allocation ratio of the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (政收支劃分法).
Hsieh expressed this sentiment during a meeting with the Kuomintang caucus, emphasizing the importance of passing the Act to ensure a more stable financial distribution between local and central governments. Hsieh noted that historical debates over the Act often involve disputes about ratios. He advised KMT camp mayors to use the March consensus with KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) as a benchmark.
Hsieh warned that failing to pass the Act due to minor disputes would align with the Ministry of Finance's (MOF, 財政部) expectations, potentially harming the financial well-being of Keelung and other regions. Critics, including the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), have targeted the KMT's proposed amendments as unfair, which allocate an additional 3% to the capital.
Hsieh argued that if the act fails due to this 3% clause, it would serve the MOF's interests. He highlighted that Keelung would gain more resources if the Act passes, noting the city's high tourist influx and the government's plan to build 5 to 8 multi-story parking lots to ease traffic issues.
