Chang Chun Pledges NT$10,000 Handout if Elected Hualien Magistrate; Yu Shu-chen Calls it an 'Empty Promise'

(CNA, Reporter Chang Chi, Hualien County, 21st) In the Hualien County magistrate election, Council Speaker Chang Chun promised today that if elected, he will issue a universal cash handout of NT$10,000 to inject vitality into the economy. KMT candidate Yu Shu-chen believes one should not make empty promises for an election, while independent candidate Wei Chia-hsien proposed multiple policies to showcase his vision. Chang Chun, who is running for Hualien County magistrate as an independent, stated today that in the face of successive natural disasters, the county government has not only been slow to react but its execution has been questioned by all sectors. He also noted that Hualien's total budget is a historic high of NT$40.1 billion, yet it is also the most non-transparent in history. He believes that rather than having non-transparent allocation, it is better to distribute it to every county resident. "A universal handout is better than random spending," he said. Chang Chun stated that his candidacy for magistrate is to boost Hualien's economy and revive all industries. The first step is to inject economic vitality. He promised to issue a NT$10,000 handout to all county residents if elected to help them through hard times, and will propose various policies and long-term plans in the future. Yu Shu-chen, the Ji'an Township Mayor nominated by the KMT to run for Hualien County magistrate, believes that administration cannot be based on imagination and finance cannot be reduced to a slogan. The budget, she said, was carefully compiled by grassroots civil servants over half a year and has been certified as legal, compliant, and transparent by the central government's Ministry of the Interior, and should not become a bargaining chip for political attacks. Yu Shu-chen said that Hualien is in a critical period of post-earthquake recovery and construction. Politicians should return to rational governance and not make empty promises for the sake of elections, sacrificing Hualien's long-term development. Regarding Chang Chun's policy promise of a NT$10,000 handout, Councillor Wei Chia-hsien, who has also announced his candidacy for magistrate, said that every candidate can present their own ideas. He mentioned that he has also proposed many policies, including a marine culture city, promoting water recreation, creating a sports corridor, and connecting cultural facility resources. Wei Chia-hsien said he will continue to propose policies on various fronts to let the public see his vision for Hualien's governance. (Editor: Lee Shu-hua)