英倫翻譯社/ Trsmaster

Retired civil servants in Taiwan enjoy an 18 percent preferential interest rate on a portion of their savings. The market-beating figure is a huge burden on government coffers that isn’t set to expire until 2048. Some lawmakers are calling for a much earlier change. 

The Bank of Taiwan is the country’s leading domestic bank. Its shares are entirely in government hands, and it is one of the victims of the 18 percent policy. This preferential interest rate available to retired civil servants means huge expenditures. The total has gone from NT$58.4 billion in 2001 to NT$80.1 billion in 2011. Following another three years NT$140 billion will have been spent. After, annual outlays will fall, but the system will continue to siphon money until it ends in 2048. By then more than NT$2 trillion will be spent.

Lo Shu-lei
KMT Legislator
It’s unreasonable. We should take this opportunity to review the policy and change it. We can look at the 18 percent interest rate, the 13 percent rate, along with the various subsidies and benefits, then change them. When finances are distressed, everyone should share the burden.

Some lawmakers want immediate action, as do local governments. Among them, Kaohsiung is saddled with a NT$12 billion bill it has trouble paying.

Chen Chu
Kaohsiung Mayor
All local governments are struggling financially. In Kaohsiung we follow the policy everyone else does in the country, which means we have to budget at least NT$1.5 billion annually. The central government should be responsible for this portion of the 18 percent subsidies.

Local governments want the central government to pick up their tab. But in the end it doesn’t matter if it’s the Bank of Taiwan or the governments that budget money because taxpayers eventually foot the bill.

退休軍公教人員享有18%的存款利率，優惠很多，也因此造成財政一年負擔高達801億元。預估民國137年制度完全落日之前，國庫還要付出超過兩兆元！立委呼籲，不合理就應該馬上檢討。

台灣銀行是國內銀行界龍頭，百分之百官方持股，但卻也因此成了退休軍公教人員18趴優惠存款的受害者，政府為18％支付的利息從九十年的584億元，一路增為一百年的801億元。根據統計，三年後，軍公教18趴的利息成本將攀升到1400億元，達最高峰，如果要等到民國137年制度落日，國庫至少
還要再失血兩兆元。

[[立委(國) 羅淑蕾]]
“不合理的啦，不合理的都應該趁這個機會，把它拿出來檢討 改一改，什麼18趴 13趴，還有各種補助 各種福利，趁機會改一改，財政困難 大家共體時艱”

立委呼籲馬上檢討，地方政府也跳出來喊苦，其中高雄市有將近120億元繳不出來。

[[高雄市長 陳菊]]
“地方政府的財政，大家都是苦哈哈，我們高雄市政府，基於全國的一致性，我們也是一年至少編出15億元，對於18趴的補助，這個部分應該由中央政府承擔”

地方政府希望中央拿出辦法，但姑且不論是台銀或中央和地方政府來出錢，其實最後都是全民買單。

文章出處 ：民視英語新聞