Taiwan News
Date: 2016-03-23
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Just days after returning from a high-profile trip to the United States, Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je found himself under fire Wednesday for his travel spending.

Taipei City Councilor Ho Chih-wei of the Democratic Progressive Party, which usually supports the mayor, accused him of spending double the amount of his Kuomintang predecessor, Mayor Hau Lung-bin.

Within about one year of coming to power, Ko had made four official foreign trips, spending a total of NT$8.34 million (US$256,500) in public money, Ho said. In contrast, during the same comparable period in his first term, Hau had traveled twice, to Australia and Japan, and spent NT$3.99 million (US$122,700) on 20 people, according to the DPP politician.

Ko’s spending was even higher than that of controversial former Miaoli County Magistrate Liu Cheng-hung, Ho said.     [FULL  STORY]