TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) on Tuesday addressed online rumors claiming the city government was planning to issue tax rebates.
The Taichung City Government warned Monday that it may take legal action against online accounts spreading false information about tax rebates, per NOWnews. The warning sparked backlash online, especially since similar memes involving Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) circulated without comparable legal threats.
Lu argued that the misinformation interfered with local governance. A city government aide said that while Lu generally tolerates most memes, one widely circulated image closely resembled official Taichung City government materials, raising concerns it could be mistaken for legitimate information.
The aide added that the city’s district offices and Department of Civil Affairs had spent significant time and resources debunking the rumors, which disrupted daily operations. Meanwhile, a recall group targeting KMT Legislator Chiang Chi-chen (江啟臣) called on Lu to redirect the city's tax surplus toward public rebates, per Liberty Times.
DPP legislative caucus Secretary-General Wu Szu-yao (吳思瑤) criticized Lu for threatening legal action, arguing that recall groups were using the tax rebate issue against the KMT just as the KMT had previously used rebate proposals to campaign against recalls, per Tai Sounds. She cited Lu’s earlier remarks suggesting that a successful recall could jeopardize the planned NT$10,000 (US$336) tax rebate.
Officials from Taoyuan and New Taipei also denied similar rumors, noting that both cities are currently facing budget deficits, per ETtoday. They clarified that even if future surpluses were available, municipal governments are legally obligated to prioritize debt repayment over issuing public rebates, per Liberty Times.
New Party Taipei City Councilor Hou Han-ting (侯漢廷) suggested that accounts linked to the so-called "Bluebird" network may be behind the spread of misinformation about KMT-controlled municipalities offering tax rebates, per ETtoday. He implied the rumors could be part of a broader effort to influence the ongoing recall campaign.
