Shen Su-zhen accuses Chang Chia-che of poor governance and questions funding sources.

During a session at the city council on Friday, Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Nantou Mayor Shen Su-chen publicly questioned the governing capability of incumbent Mayor Chang Chia-che, shifting the focus to various community events recently organized by the Nantou City Office. Shen pointed out that Chang has failed to deliver substantive improvements on fundamental municipal issues, with both his administrative performance and public approval ratings showing a downward trend. As a political opponent, Shen used this as grounds to try to weaken Chang's campaign advantages in the upcoming local elections.

In her critique, Shen specifically noted that promotional posters and official announcements recently released by the Nantou City Office frequently listed Chang's wife as the "organizer," while the city office was listed as the "co-organizer." This prompted Shen to question the source of the event funding: whether the expenses were personally financed by Chang's wife or covered by public funds. She called on the city council and voters to clarify the flow of funds and examine the conflict of interest between civil servants and their family members to prevent public funds from being used privately or compromising electoral fairness.

As a local administrative agency, the Nantou City Office is responsible for coordinating and executing various community services and public events. According to the Local Government Act, activities organized by the city office that involve public funds must undergo rigorous budget reviews and public bidding procedures. If the event expenses were indeed personally funded by the mayor's spouse, it should be clearly stated in relevant documents to comply with the principles of transparency and accountability. If Shen's allegations are true, they could trigger further investigations into potential conflicts of interest involving the mayor and his family.

This incident also reflects the rising political temperature in the Nantou area ahead of the upcoming local elections. Having served as mayor since 2018, Chang has promoted numerous infrastructure and community development projects during his tenure; however, opinion polls indicate that his approval rating has dropped from its initial peak to nearly 50 percent. Adopting the slogan of "ineffective governance," Shen has sought to attract voter attention with administrative transparency and fiscal accountability at her core. Any impropriety in the city office's promotional materials would negatively impact Chang's image and potentially become a major issue in the election.

There has been no official response to Shen's accusations as yet, and the Nantou City Office has not made the relevant funding details public. The city council may hold a special review in the near future to investigate the sources and usage of the event funds. If any illegal or improper use of public funds is verified, it could trigger administrative litigation or criminal investigations, further impacting the mayor's political career. This incident also serves as a reminder that local governments must maintain a high level of transparency and openness when utilizing public funds in order to preserve public trust in the government.