Taipei Times
Date: Oct 10, 2015
By: Sean Lin  /  Staff reporter

The downside to the nation’s electoral system is the limit it sets on the terms a government official is allowed to serve, which hinders long-term policymaking, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.

Ko was responding to questions by reporters about the city government’s funding of the “2050 Vision Platform” aimed at fine-tuning the city’s urban renewal projects until 2050, which, according to New Party Taipei City Councilor Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯), would cost the city government NT$15 million (US$456,620) over the next two years.

Since the platform is to be financed by the city government, Chen on Wednesday asked officials of the Taipei Department of Budget, Accounting and Statistics why the city government had not proposed a budget for the platform.

He added that as the funds do not need to be approved by the city council, the capital used for the project could evade city councilors’ scrutiny.     [FULL  STORY]