Many Calling for Tax Revenue Surplus to Be Refunded 今年超徵稅收估4500億 聚焦「還稅於民」

The Tsai administration will collect around NT$450 billion in taxes this year, and many people are calling for the surplus to be given back to citizens. Acting Finance Minister Juan Ching-hwa says there is no such plan now but various government agencies are being consulted, it would likely be in the form of vouchers and not cash.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the Tsai administration collected over NT$3.797 trillion in tax revenues in the first 11 months of this year compared to its budgeted amount of NT$355.4 billion. The ministry is forecasting tax revenues for the year to hit NT$450 billion. Lawmakers say the surplus should be given back to citizens.

Lai Shyh-bao, Legislator (KMT): “Tsai Ing-wen says the government is going to give the people tax refunds. She said that. South Korea was able to get it done. Singapore was able to get it done. Tell me, why can't Taiwan get it done?”

Lin Chu-yin, Legislator (DPP): “Our (tax revenues) this year hit the target. Some of the money we've already taken in should be shared with the people.”

Lin Chu-yin says Taiwan's economic growth rate surpassed that of many other countries during the pandemic, and the government doesn't have the right to keep the revenue surplus when every single dime came out of taxpayers' pockets.

Juan Ching-hwa, Acting Finance Minister: “It's true that we collected more than we budgeted for, but we're actually still dealing with a shortfall if you combine the total general budget with the special budget. So you see, if we issue tax refunds to the people, there would have to be an allocation in the budget. However, what method should we use for this? I think we need to give this a lot more thought.”

Wang Mei-hua, Economic Affairs Minister: “We'll be dealing with many global factors next year like inflation and falling purchasing power. What the Ministry of Economic Affairs has to deal with is that we have already created a very detailed list of our expenditures to support the economy and protect jobs. There are very, very many details involved. We are executing this plan right now.”

Juan Ching-hwa says the surplus can't be given back to the people because the government has to get rid of some debt and repay preferential loans, and use the rest to maintain financial stability. Various government agencies are being consulted on whether a refund, should that happen, would take the form of cash or stimulus vouchers.

財政部日前公布全國賦稅收入，累計今年前11月的稅收突破3兆元，達到3兆797億元，已超過預算數3554億元。財政部預估，今年超徵稅收可望達到4500億元，是否還稅於民，也成為藍綠立委關注的焦點。

國民黨立委賴士葆說：「蔡英文，你的長官說要還稅於民啊，她有這樣說，韓國做得到、新加坡做得到，為什麼台灣做不到。」

民進黨立委林楚茵指出：「我們今年的（稅收）預算當中已經達標的時候，這些我們能夠，已經收進來的這些預算當中，那就應該跟全民一起共享。」

林楚茵認為，這幾年台灣防疫做得好，經濟成長相較其他國家都是好的，累計前11個月稅收達標後所超出的金額達3554億，而每一元賦稅都是依法課徵，政府是不能多收民眾一塊錢應該把經濟成長的稅收與全民共享。

財政部代理部長阮清華表示：「實徵數超過預算數，但實際上如果總預算跟這個特別預算，併同計算的話，其實還是短絀，如果要還稅於民的話，當然要編列預算，但是我想說要用什麼方式來處理，我想這個是要通盤再來考量。」

經濟部長王美花表示：「明年度的這樣的一個國際情勢，通膨也好，消費力減到也好，經濟部比較重要是，我們現在已經在仔細規劃明年度相關我們的經費，怎麼樣來支撐經濟保住就業，這邊有很多的細節，我們現在在加緊進行。」

阮清華表示，目前仍先規劃減少舉債、優先還債，希望維持財政健全並作為歲計賸餘使用，目前沒有還稅於民這樣的規劃，若真的要做，比起發現金，發放三倍券、五倍券這樣的振興券相對合適，才能與經濟復甦結合在一起，目前還在跨部會決策。