The Taichung mayoral election is tense. The KMT's Lu Shiow-yen said if she didn't win, elderly and maternity subsidies may be cut. In response, DPP Taichung mayoral candidate Tsai Chi-chang said the subsidies will not only continue, but also increase if he's elected.
Lu Shiow-yen, the KMT Taichung mayoral candidate was at Tanzi on the evening of the 24th, seeking re-election. She told her supporters that elderly health insurance subsidies started under former mayor Jason Hu, but were cut off when Lin Chia-lung took over as mayor, and were not restored until she took office. Lu said that if she loses this time, the elderly health insurance subsidies and the NT$20,000 maternity allowance may be cut. She called on her supporters for their support and votes to control the future of Taichung.
Lu Shiow-yen, Taichung Mayoral Candidate (KMT): “If the wrong mayor and councilors were elected, they spend your money, right? Thus, should we take this risk? Our maternity allowance during our tenure has become NT$20,000. If I'm not reelected, it could be changed to NT$10,000 in the future.”
With less than 24 hours before the vote, Tsai Chi-chang, the DPP candidate for Taichung mayor was campaigning through the streets in Wuri and Wufeng on the 25th. He emphasized that he had given nearly 1,000 policy speeches and had already disclosed his welfare policy for the elderly. This includes the continued subsidy of the elderly's health insurance, increasing the scope and financial amount of the elderly care card, and increasing the budget for elderly care centers around Taichung. He called for the election to be positive and said his opponent should not have rejected a direct debate to only smear him behind his back.
Tsai Chi-chang, Taichung Mayoral Candidate (DPP): “After I'm elected, the elderly health insurance subsidy will not only continue, but I will double the financial amount of the elderly care card to honor all elderly people over 65 years old in Taichung. I have said this more than a thousand times. But Mayor Lu still wants to smear me. This kind of mayor, this kind of candidate is the chief culprit who ruined Taichung City's election environment.”
Both candidates tout their social benefits to gain elderly support. The final stage of the Taichung mayoral election continues to be a bitter fight.
選戰最後關頭，尋求連任的國民黨台中市長候選人盧秀燕，24日晚間來到潭子舉辦造勢晚會，她向支持者喊話，台中老人健保從胡志強市長時開始補助，後來換林佳龍當政後被砍掉，直到她上任才恢復。盧秀燕說，這次如果市長換人，老人健保補助和2萬元生育津貼都可能不保，呼籲鄉親集中選票，掌握台中的未來。
國民黨台中市長候選人盧秀燕指出：「市長議員若選錯人，花是花你們的，花民眾的，對不對？也因此我們要不要冒這個險，所以我們的生育津貼，現在在我們任內（生）一個變2萬，將來搞不好又調回來，若不是我們當選，變1萬喔。」
距離投票不到24小時，民進黨台中市長候選人蔡其昌25日上午則在烏日、霧峰車隊掃街，他強調自己已經講了將近1千場的說明會，早就公開老人福利政策，包括老人健保繼續補助、增加敬老愛心卡使用範圍與額度，並且提升關懷據點的預算。他呼籲選舉要正向，對手不應該拒絕辯論會，而只會在背後抹黑。
民進黨台中市長候選人蔡其昌說道：「我當選之後健保不但補助，我的敬老愛心卡比盧市長的預算多1倍，來孝敬所有台中市65歲以上的老人家，講了一千多遍，還要抹黑別人。這種市長，這種候選人就是敗壞台中市選風的罪魁禍首。」
秀社會福利，爭取年長者的支持，台中市長選戰最後階段持續隔空交戰。盧秀燕25日晚間7時將在北屯區原太原夜市舉辦選前之夜，蔡其昌晚間6時30分則在南屯區戶外圓滿劇場舉行造勢晚會。
