Is it really good to receive NT$20,000 from Blue and White Tip? Lai Zhongqiang points out "this blind spot" and replies: Get 10,000 first and "it's safe to be safe"

Lawyer Lai Zhongqiang, convener of the Taiwan United Economic Democracy think tank. (File photo, taken by reporter Tu Jianrong)

Legislators from both the government and the opposition this term have repeatedly made intensive attacks and defenses on major people's livelihood issues, including the amendment of the financial planning law, salary increases for the military and police, suspension of annual reforms, and even the recent "Elderly Welfare Law", which have attracted much attention. Among them, Blue and White followed up and increased the 20,000 yuan in universal cash called by the Executive Yuan. In addition to violating fiscal discipline by throwing money before the general election, they also fell into the constitutional dispute that the legislative power infringed on the executive power. The civil rights group pointed out that the blue and white version of the universal cash bill must wait for the annual final accounts report before it can be implemented. It is better to receive 10,000 yuan first to "save it in your pocket".

After hearing the Executive Yuan briefing for the second time in August this year, President Lai Ching-te announced that the central government's general budget for 2016 would be based on the premise of balancing annual income and annual expenditures and effectively zero debt, with a general cash distribution of 10,000 yuan per person. Since then, the KMT and the People's Party's Legislative Yuan caucus have followed up and thrown out An increase of NT$20,000 in universal cash payments was voted on at the Legislative Yuan meeting on the 16th to be submitted to the second reading and negotiation. The outside world questioned it as "policy buying votes", and according to the government's assessment, this issue not only affects the election, but also may harm the ruling team and the national finance, triggering discussions.

In this regard, lawyer Lai Zhongqiang, convener of the United Economic Democracy think tank, said that the Lai government has included 10,000 yuan in funds for universal distribution in the central government's general budget next year. The Kuomintang group advocates a universal cash distribution of 20,000 yuan and plans to propose an amendment to Article 81-1 of the "Budget Law" to institutionalize universal distribution. For the former, as long as the central general budget is passed, the administrative department is expected to complete the payment before the Lunar New Year, but the latter has to wait for the annual final account report to be released in March next year. Instead of spending more time waiting to receive 20,000 yuan, it is better to receive the government's general distribution of 10,000 yuan to "settle the pocket."

In response to Lan Bai's emphasis that the government must "return taxes to the people" if it collects too much tax, Lai Zhongqiang pointed out that "budget overcollection" does not mean that the government illegally collects more taxes. Whether it is income tax, inheritance tax or profit-making enterprise income tax, the government always provides estimates in the previous year. "It is impossible to be 100% accurate." Taking corporate revenue forecasts as an example, he bluntly stated that neither TSMC nor any professional analysts would be completely accurate, let alone government agencies; moreover, the government's tax collection must also pay for debts, special budgets, etc., and there are obvious blind spots in the discussion.

He believes that the government "does not need to be overly anxious" about the demand for a blue-white universal distribution of 20,000 yuan, but it must respond cautiously. He reminds the government that it can share economic results with the whole people under the premise of fiscal permission and without crowding out public construction expenditures such as national defense, education, science and culture. The country's overall fiscal responsibility cannot be ignored just because the people expect cash.