The Cabinet’s motions to reconsider the general budget and amendments to a law governing revenue allocations were rejected by the Legislature this Wednesday. Despite the Cabinet voicing strong opposition to the changes, highlighting how the significant cuts would affect various agency and project operations, the coalition between opposition KMT and TPP legislators have succeeded in moving forward with the controversial legislation.
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) recently reconvened the Legislature to discuss the veto, but negotiations broke down. On March 7, the Committee of the Whole Yuan was called for two consecutive days to examine the budget and amendments. Premier Cho Jung-Tai (卓榮泰) was invited for reporting and interpellation.
In his oral interpellation, Cho noted how the major record-high cuts would affect the operations of various agencies and projects, and asked for rational discussions to bring the total budget to a reasonable amount. Cho added how the legislation would reduce the central government’s available financial resources without reviewing the distribution of powers, and explained how the revised method of allocating tax revenues would widen the urban-rural gap.
After the interpellation, the Legislature moved to make a recorded vote, during which the KMT and TPP coalition rejected the Cabinet’s motion to reconsider both the general budget and amendments.
With 51 legislators voting to reconsider and 61 legislators voting to maintain the original budget, the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures is handed to President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for the next step in the legislative process.