The government is considering raising the estate tax to help cover long-term care expenses.
A Cabinet official said Friday that next year the government expects to spend NT$20.7 billion (US$700 million) on long-term care for elderly and disabled citizens.
On Saturday, Premier Lin Chuan said the Cabinet believes that taxes are the best way to ensure funding for long-term care.
Lin said that the Cabinet is willing to discuss where tax funding should come from. But he said that the public seems favorable to the idea of raising the estate tax by 5-10%. Lin said the idea of raising sales taxes has not been received so favorably, and so the government will consider alternatives.