Chen Chi-mai Submits Additional Budget to Council: Focusing on 4 Major Citizen-First Strategies
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai submitted an additional budget proposal of NT$1.423 billion to the city council, emphasizing its focus on four major citizen-first strategies benefiting schoolchildren, seniors, farmers/fishermen, and youth, while maintaining no increase in debt burden.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 6, 2026 at 15:15
- 🔍 Collected: May 6, 2026 at 15:32 (16 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 6, 2026 at 15:35 (3 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency Reporter Tsai Meng-yu, Kaohsiung, May 6) Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai today led the city government team to the city council to explain the city government's policy plan and the preparation of the 115th fiscal year's general budget supplementary and reduction bill. He stated that this additional budget focuses on four major citizen-first strategies and does not increase the debt burden.
Chen Chi-mai stated that this additional budget focuses on the four major citizen-first strategies: 'schoolchildren first,' 'seniors first,' 'farmers and fishermen first,' and 'youth first,' with an additional budget of NT$1.423 billion. The city government still strictly adheres to fiscal discipline and has not increased the debt burden.
Chen Chi-mai pointed out that for the 'schoolchildren first' portion, starting from the 115th academic year, nutritional lunches for public elementary and junior high schools will be completely free, and they will enjoy high-quality domestic ingredients with 3-chapter-1Q certification, further adding the comprehensive use of local fruits and seafood, benefiting approximately 180,000 students. NT$1.109 billion has been allocated for this.
Chen Chi-mai stated that for the 'seniors first' portion, in response to the super-aging society, the city government encourages elderly citizens to leave their homes and participate in society. The quota for the elder care card has been increased fivefold, and the social welfare points have been raised from 1,200 points annually to 600 points monthly, with an expanded scope of use, allocating NT$165 million.
Regarding 'farmers and fishermen first,' Chen Chi-mai pointed out that to enhance the resilience of local industries, the city government has added subsidies for smart aquaculture, labor-saving equipment, and small fishing machinery, as well as business operation subsidies for public market self-governing associations, and expanded subsidies for agricultural and fishery product processing cold chains and office environment improvements, allocating NT$57 million.
For 'youth first,' Chen Chi-mai explained that to promote youth employment, the city government has added the 'Xiongqing International Exchange Program,' which subsidizes youth to study, further their education, exchange, and train overseas, and also increased measures for retaining full-time employees in the 'Dagang Youth Internship Program,' allocating NT$10 million.
In addition, the city government will also process NT$82 million in central project-based subsidies for advance payments to regular payments, in accordance with resolutions or附帶決議 made by the Kaohsiung City Council during the review of advance payment cases.
The city government's Department of Finance and Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics reported that the city government has had zero debt for five consecutive years. This additional budget will be fully covered by its own financial resources, including NT$1.158 billion from general allocation tax revenues, NT$226 million from house taxes, and NT$39 million from centrally approved increased project-based subsidies, totaling NT$1.423 billion. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150506
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship you provide supports press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcasted, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.
(Central News Agency Reporter Tsai Meng-yu, Kaohsiung, May 6) Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai today led the city government team to the city council to explain the city government's policy plan and the preparation of the 115th fiscal year's general budget supplementary and reduction bill. He stated that this additional budget focuses on four major citizen-first strategies and does not increase the debt burden.
Chen Chi-mai stated that this additional budget focuses on the four major citizen-first strategies: 'schoolchildren first,' 'seniors first,' 'farmers and fishermen first,' and 'youth first,' with an additional budget of NT$1.423 billion. The city government still strictly adheres to fiscal discipline and has not increased the debt burden.
Chen Chi-mai pointed out that for the 'schoolchildren first' portion, starting from the 115th academic year, nutritional lunches for public elementary and junior high schools will be completely free, and they will enjoy high-quality domestic ingredients with 3-chapter-1Q certification, further adding the comprehensive use of local fruits and seafood, benefiting approximately 180,000 students. NT$1.109 billion has been allocated for this.
Chen Chi-mai stated that for the 'seniors first' portion, in response to the super-aging society, the city government encourages elderly citizens to leave their homes and participate in society. The quota for the elder care card has been increased fivefold, and the social welfare points have been raised from 1,200 points annually to 600 points monthly, with an expanded scope of use, allocating NT$165 million.
Regarding 'farmers and fishermen first,' Chen Chi-mai pointed out that to enhance the resilience of local industries, the city government has added subsidies for smart aquaculture, labor-saving equipment, and small fishing machinery, as well as business operation subsidies for public market self-governing associations, and expanded subsidies for agricultural and fishery product processing cold chains and office environment improvements, allocating NT$57 million.
For 'youth first,' Chen Chi-mai explained that to promote youth employment, the city government has added the 'Xiongqing International Exchange Program,' which subsidizes youth to study, further their education, exchange, and train overseas, and also increased measures for retaining full-time employees in the 'Dagang Youth Internship Program,' allocating NT$10 million.
In addition, the city government will also process NT$82 million in central project-based subsidies for advance payments to regular payments, in accordance with resolutions or附帶決議 made by the Kaohsiung City Council during the review of advance payment cases.
The city government's Department of Finance and Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics reported that the city government has had zero debt for five consecutive years. This additional budget will be fully covered by its own financial resources, including NT$1.158 billion from general allocation tax revenues, NT$226 million from house taxes, and NT$39 million from centrally approved increased project-based subsidies, totaling NT$1.423 billion. (Editor: Chang Ya-ching) 1150506
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship you provide supports press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcasted, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.