A fight over a collapsed hospital project has broken out in Taoyuan's mayoral race, with the city government pushing back hard against claims it killed the plan — bad news for residents still waiting on better medical care.

• DPP mayoral candidate Huang Shih-chieh blamed Mayor Chang San-cheng for the collapse of the National Tsing Hua University hospital project.
• The city says the project was led by the university, not the city, and fell apart after Kaohsiung Medical University pulled out over money concerns.
• Repeated attempts to find a new partner drew no bidders, so the land is now being replanned as a science education center.
• The city points to a rezoned medical district, a new municipal hospital in Bade, and three branch clinics planned for Daxi, Guanyin and Fuxing.
• Officials hit back at Huang as a politician who thinks handing over free land is the whole job, noting he held posts under the previous administration.

Outlook: Expect healthcare access to stay a central attack line in the Taoyuan mayoral race as the election nears.