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East coast development plans progress in
legislature
By Vincent Y. Chao
STAFF REPORTER
Wednesday, Feb 24, 2010, Page 3
Former premier Su Tseng-chang, left,
accompanies Hsiao Bi-khim, the Democratic Progressive Party candidate in
Saturday’s Hualien County legislative by-election, as they ride around the
county to stump for votes yesterday.
PHOTO: CNA
Two versions of a long-anticipated development plan for east coast counties made
their way through the legislature yesterday, each promising to bring billions of
New Taiwan dollars and thousands of jobs into the area.
Lawmakers went straight to work on the two bills, which opened the second
legislative session, capping a long winter break.
The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) version of the development bill has
become an important part of the party's platform ahead of the by-election in
Hualien County on Saturday.
Supporters at DPP candidate Hsiao Bi-khim's (蕭美琴) headquarters cheered as the
bill proceeded directly to its second reading without debate yesterday morning.
Praising the bill, Hsiao said it would bring development projects, alleviate
traffic congestion and increase business opportunities. She added that it would
also help “change Hualien by helping the county equalize disparities with
counties on the west coast.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) version is expected to proceed
to its second reading on Friday after the legislature's Procedural Committee
gave it the go ahead yesterday.
While there are a number of similarities between the two versions, there are
also key differences that could undermine a proposal by KMT caucus whip Lin
Yi-shih (林益世) to merge the versions next week.
The DPP version requires that the central government inject NT$50 billion
(US$1.5 billion) into the area's ailing economy over the next decade. The bill
also provides government subsidies that would cut rail and air fares for
residents by up to 50 percent and expand the number of cargo goods exempt from
taxation.
Meanwhile, the KMT version includes measures that will provide more government
subsidies for the area without giving an exact figure. Speaking in the
legislature, Lin said that the KMT version was more viable as many of the
measures could be quickly enacted by the central government.
Both versions aim to ease land restrictions to encourage more development
projects along the coast. They also each seek to increase education levels by
removing school and textbook fees.
Lawmakers will have a full slate this session after the Procedural Committee
approved a 63-item agenda. The agenda deals with key issues, including solving
burgeoning water problems in the south, revisions to the Referendum Act (公投法)
and investment guidelines for Chinese money managers.
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