Ko talks closure of Songshan Airport with Cheng
By Chi-hao James Lo,The China Post
December 5, 2014, 12:00 am TWN
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Independent Taipei Mayor-elect Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday met with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taoyuan Mayor-elect Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) to discuss issues involving the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei Songshan Airport.
During the meeting with his Taoyuan counterpart, Ko stressed the importance of developing his so-called Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung and Taoyuan: New Life Style Circle (北北基桃新生活共同圈), an idea that seeks to connect citizens of the four main northern cities for a more convenient and diverse lifestyle.
Ko also said to Cheng that the bulk of his ideas depend on the expansion of the Taoyuan airport. Without the completion of the airport's third terminal, and its third runway, the Taipei Songshan Airport cannot be retired from service. This would result in a massive delay to Taipei's current 50 years of development, which means that the future of Taipei hinges on the Taoyuan Aerotropolis (桃園航空城) development plan.
During their press interview, Cheng said that Taiwan is in a new era following the elections. However, developments and improvements are only starting now, Cheng said, and with a mayor like Ko who shares similar ideals with himself, the Taoyuan mayor-elect said that he is looking forward to their future collaborations.
The Taipei mayor-elect went on to reiterate the importance of cooperation between magistrates and mayors of cities. Ko went on to use the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT as an example, stating that the long metro line involves the joint effort between several cities on a financial level. More examples that require unity between city and county leaders include the treatment of the Tamsui River, which is a body of water that affects various northern regions.
Ko also praised Cheng for being the youngest of all six mayors. The Taoyuan mayor-elect began dabbing into politics in his student years, Ko said, proving that Cheng is an idealist much like himself. As such, Ko said that he looks forward to a future with someone similar to him.
In response to the possibility of future meetings with the mayors of Tainan and Kaohsiung, Ko said that he would decide on the matter at a later date once he has dealt with the immediate issues in the northern cities.
Ko to Revolutionize Policing by Retiring Local Police Stations
In related news, Ko said that he plans to retire all local police stations in Taipei City during an interview on Dec. 3.
During the interview, Ko said that for the sake of economic scale, he propose that all local police stations ought to be retired and replaced with police patrol cars, much like the standard of policing seen in the U.S.
The mayor elect said that Taipei already has 14 police precincts that are available to citizens. Citizens could instead report cases directly to the precincts as well as to police patrols that will be equipped with radios.
Ko's statement was negatively received by the general police consensus in Taipei. In response, Ko said that his plan was only an idea, and that the fruition of the idea will need to first undergo calculations before it could even be considered for implementation.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/n...4/Ko-talks.htm