A fight over free money is heating up in Taiwan, with Taipei's mayor demanding the central government double its planned cash payout while opponents say his own city is sitting on extra tax money.

• Taiwan's central government plans to hand every citizen NT$10,000; Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an says it should be NT$20,000.
• Councillor Yen Jo-fang fired back that Taipei has collected NT$3.5 billion more in local taxes than budgeted during Chiang's term, and asked why that isn't returned to residents.
• The city had said the extra money was needed to cushion the blow from US tariffs, but the central government already set aside a large special budget for exactly that.
• Chiang countered that the national payout would cost over NT$50 billion, far more than Taipei's NT$3.5 billion surplus.
• Even a ruling-party councillor allowed the city could pay out its surplus, worth about NT$1,400 per person, if the central government went to NT$40,000.

Outlook: Expect the cash-handout fight to stay a partisan talking point, with neither side likely to move first.