Hsinchu City Hall Accused of 'Self-Promotion' Over Misleading Brochures Featuring Mayor Kao

New竹市 (Hsinchu City) government's recent decision to distribute brochures featuring Mayor Kao An-chieh has sparked controversy, with critics labeling the material as "self-promotion" and detached from reality. The tri-fold pamphlets, placed in city halls and public spaces, showcase Kao in various staged photos, with content that critics argue is unrelated to citizens' daily lives.

A key point of contention is the brochure's claim that the city's baseball stadium will host games in 2025. City councilors Yang Ling-yi and Liu Yen-ling have strongly refuted this, highlighting that the stadium's renovation project has not yet been completed or accepted. Furthermore, the previous baseball team, Long May Trading Co., has already terminated its contract with the city, leaving the stadium without a tenant.

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This brochure, with its performance-based propaganda that doesn't align with facts, not only fails to boost Mayor Kao An-chieh's image but instead exposes more shortcomings in administrative effectiveness.

Councilors argue that the brochure not only misleads the public but also exposes the administration's ineffectiveness. Yang stated that while the current administration continues some previous policies, its slow progress and inefficiency have led to the retraction or reduction of central government subsidies, increasing the city's financial burden. She criticized Kao's administration for repeatedly failing to deliver on promises regarding the baseball stadium, causing disappointment to fans and a significant loss for Hsinchu when the team departed.

Liu echoed these sentiments, describing the brochure's content as resembling excessive self-promotion rather than a service guide. She questioned the city government's decision to print claims about the stadium's completion and readiness for games before the project has even passed inspection, suggesting a potential exaggeration of achievements. The city's Department of Digital Affairs confirmed that 36,000 brochures have been distributed since July, emphasizing their role in promoting municipal services and providing objective policy data to assist citizens.

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The brochure's content is like major internal promotion, especially since the baseball stadium has not yet passed inspection, but Kao An-chieh's administration writes it as if it has already been inspected and is in use, which may mislead citizens.