Professor satirizes mayor's subsidies with universal basic income proposal

A Taiwanese university professor has sparked debate with a satirical proposal for a universal basic income, delivered in the form of local currency, to critique the subsidy policies of Hsinchu Mayor Gao Hung-an.

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If I were to run, my campaign platform would be to squeeze every penny of the city's budget into Fengcheng coins, Gongwan coins, Mifen coins, and Chu-chan coins, issuing them monthly, with extra distributions during holidays, and even more when there are typhoons, or when the wind is too strong, or when traffic jams make you question life.

Professor Huang Chen-hsiang of National Tsing Hua University sarcastically suggested that if he were to run for mayor, his platform would involve distributing "Fengcheng coins," "Gongwan coins," "Mifen coins," and "Chu-chan coins" to residents monthly. He proposed additional distributions during holidays, typhoons, or even just for experiencing heavy traffic, mocking the idea of appeasing citizens with handouts.

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The most impressive aspect of current mayor Gao Hung-an is her tangible subsidy policies, like increased child allowances, higher birth subsidies, egg freezing subsidies, youth rent subsidies, and expanded senior welfare card benefits. It's a complete set of punches, like a night market ring toss; as long as the prizes are plentiful, the crowds will naturally gather.

Huang pointed to Mayor Gao's "tangible subsidy policies" as a model, citing increased child allowances, birth subsidies, egg freezing subsidies, youth rent subsidies, and expanded senior welfare card benefits. He likened these measures to a carnival game, where abundant prizes naturally draw large crowds, making public grievances disappear like the Hsinchu wind.

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Citizens are not fools. A city cannot survive on handouts alone. The danger in politics is not giving money, but mistaking giving money for governance; the danger in city management is not subsidies, but mistaking subsidies for foresight.

While acknowledging the appeal of such policies, Huang cautioned that a city cannot survive on handouts alone. He argued that the real danger in politics is mistaking handouts for governance and in city management, confusing subsidies with foresight. He warned that while Gao's policies create a sense of immediate benefit, they can distract citizens from questioning where the money goes, how many problems are truly solved, and who will ultimately pay the bill. Huang concluded that Hsinchu needs a leader who can spend money wisely, not a "cash dispenser" that only issues subsidies.

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Too much tangible benefit can make people forget to ask where the money went, how many problems were solved, and who will pay the bill tomorrow. Hsinchu needs not a cash dispenser that spews subsidies, but someone who truly knows how to spend money in the right places.