A local election fight in Taiwan's Hualien County has turned into a clash over who deserves credit for public spending, with independent candidate Zhang Jun challenging the KMT's dominance there.

• At a big KMT rally, caucus whip Fu Kun-chi bragged that he rewrote Taiwan's revenue-sharing law to steer money back to Hualien, framing it as welfare delivered by the ruling family and their candidate Yu Shu-chen.
• Zhang Jun, the independent county council speaker running for magistrate, fired back that welfare is a right paid for by taxpayers, not a personal gift from politicians or a bargaining chip to hand-pick a successor.
• He argues Hualien has plenty of money — a large annual budget plus a decade-long regional development fund — yet still lags neighboring Taitung, blaming an entrenched local power machine that has controlled the area for 17 years.
• Both sides are now in a spending bidding war: Fu touts free health premiums for seniors, dental and transport subsidies, and free school lunches, while Zhang counters with cash handouts, free health coverage for under-18s, senior cards, and upgraded lunches.

Outlook: Expect the race to stay a contest over patronage and control of Hualien, with rival giveaway promises escalating as election day nears.