Taipei Times
Date: Mar 28, 2016
By: Aaron Tu / Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬) has proposed amendments to the Local Government Act (地方制度法) to abolish the election of township mayors and representatives in non-Aboriginal townships in the nation’s 13 counties.

To simplify the local administrative hierarchy, Changhua and Nantou counties are already planning to abolish the election of townships mayors and councils, and authorize the county governments to appoint township mayors, while making council representatives non-paid advisers.

However, county governments are calling for amendments to apply nationwide.

Cheng said he proposed to abolish such elections in non-Aboriginal townships, while keeping those in Aboriginal townships to maintain Aboriginal autonomy.

The legislative general assembly has referred the proposed amendments to the Legislative Yuan’s Internal Administration Committee and the Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee for a joint review. If the amendments are passed, the Executive Yuan would decide on a date for them to take effect.     [FULL  STORY]