President Tsai is really preparing for re-election! Yesterday she said she would spend 5 billion from excess tax collections subsidizing young people and low-income households.
Thank our country’s leadership finally caring about people’s hardship, but I must remind President Tsai—don’t start strong and end weak, abandon halfway!
Back when I worked in Hong Kong I also received HK$30,000+ in tax refunds from the HK government—that joy was unforgettable! Yet Hong Kong government always maintains fiscal discipline, never subsidizing “vulnerable groups.” President Tsai, by what standard subsidy?
You may not know—people in Taiwan not paying taxes are wealthier than taxpayers! You’re taking overworked salaried employees’ overpaid taxes subsidizing non-taxpaying wealthy people—isn’t this backwards!
Why are non-taxpayers wealthier? Many wealthy profit from stock trading, real estate, rental income—capital gains either untaxed or easily evade taxes. Taiwanese businessmen earning overseas money avoid tax if repatriated under 6 million yearly.
Taiwan’s truly wealthy pay low tax proportions; salaried workers pay most taxes. If using salaried worker taxes subsidizing so-called vulnerable groups, would people feel comfortable?
Moreover, this policy undermines itself. If government has excess taxes, why slash military/civil servant retirement benefits they rightfully deserve? Why should the 88 billion forward-looking plan require debt financing, burdening future generations?
If President Tsai wants re-election, first fix the economy, strengthen fiscal discipline. Otherwise history remembers you only overthrew KMT and deceived military/civil servants.