Taichung Household Disposable Income Growth Rate Tops Six Major Cities; Mayor Lu Emphasizes Dual Focus on Welfare and Transportation

According to the '2024 Household Expenditure Survey' by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS), Taichung City's average household disposable income reached NT$1,171,877, with an annual growth rate of 4.91%—the highest among the six major cities. Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen announced this positive statistic during a city council meeting on the 21st, emphasizing that Taichung's stable household economic growth is driven by the city government's policies of low taxation, administrative streamlining, and multiple living subsidies that effectively reduce residents' financial burdens.

Among the most popular initiatives, the YouBike network has surpassed 1,800 stations. The city government has already allocated next year's budget in advance, aiming to expand the network beyond 2,000 stations, further enhancing Taichung's livability.

Mayor Lu pointed out that the continuous rise in household disposable income is closely linked to the city's efforts in tax relief and cost-of-living reduction policies. These include maintaining stable land-related tax burdens, offering the highest senior and爱心 (love & care) card subsidy among the six cities (NT$1,000 per month), and providing national health insurance subsidies for seniors—measures that directly alleviate household financial pressure.

Additionally, the city's policy of free YouBike rides for the first 30 minutes and the '10-in-10' bus program—offering free rides within 10 kilometers for residents—have significantly reduced transportation expenses.

"Riding YouBike has multiple benefits!" Mayor Lu emphasized. YouBike is cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Over seven years ago, Taichung had approximately 320 YouBike stations; today, that number has more than doubled to over 1,800, ranking first nationwide. The fleet now includes 13,077 bikes, with cumulative rides exceeding 134 million. In May alone, ridership hit a record high of 2.19 million, contributing to energy conservation, carbon reduction, physical activity promotion, and traffic congestion relief.

Given the strong public approval of YouBike, the city government has proactively budgeted for next year to add another 200 stations, surpassing the 2,000-station milestone. In the final six months of her term, Mayor Lu aims to further refine the public bicycle network, offering residents more diverse and convenient transportation options.

Furthermore, regarding the recent tainted cooking oil incident that sparked nationwide concern over food safety, Mayor Lu stated during the council meeting that the city government has adopted a transparent 'disclose as we detect' approach. Following the model used in past U.S. tariff negotiations, she will convene an 'Anti-Toxic Oil Online National Conference' with county and city leaders to pool frontline practical experience and recommendations for food safety strategies. The initiative has garnered support from approximately 16 counties and cities. The conference will convey local insights to the central government, jointly working to resolve the food safety crisis swiftly and protect public health.