A political fight has broken out in Keelung over the city's finances, with the ruling DPP saying Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang's claim of being broke does not add up.

• Taiwan's central government plans to hand every citizen NT$10,000 in cash next year, and Taipei's mayor wants to top that up to NT$20,000.
• Keelung's mayor says the city cannot afford to match it because its finances are too tight.
• The local DPP says he copied a rival's plan to double holiday payments for the elderly and then added even more money on top.
• The same city has spent freely on double-decker tourist buses, artificial turf, and city branding deals that councillors and residents already questioned.
• The city government says elderly care spending is budgeted by law and benefits will keep improving.

Outlook: Pressure will build on the mayor to explain where Keelung's money actually went before the next budget round.