Dear Mayor Ma,

Greetings from the “Fantastic 9”! Our team is consisted of nine students from grade 3 to grade 5 of the Ren Ai Elementary School in Taipei . We have come together as the “Fantastic 9” in May and are doing our research project on TAIPEI 101, hoping to participate in the Taiwan and International Cyberfairs. We want to bring both TAIPEI 101 and Taipei city on the world stage.

Our project involves interviewing both domestic and foreign visitors, shop and business operators in the 101 shopping arcade and food court, and we try to understand the importance of TAIPEI 101 to both Taipei City and Taiwan . We also want to ask you about issues regarding TAIPEI 101 and the city affairs. Since you encourage the use of internet in our city, we are bringing our questions to you via the internet in hope that you may kindly reply.

What benefit, or value, does TAPEI 101 bring to Taipei City ?
How much income from rents and taxes can TAIPEI 101 generate for Taipei City ?
The areas in Xin Yi District surrounding TAIPEI 101 seem to be always congested with heavy traffic. During the COMPUTEX in June when we were conducting surveys with foreign visitors the situation was even worse. Is there any solution being planned by Taipei City ?
Why was TAIPEI 101 built in Xin Yi District and not somewhere else? Has Taipei City Government ever considered moving its offices to TAIPEI 101?
TAIPEI 101 observatories are a very important tourist attraction in Taipei , but the entry fee is not quite affordable to most of us. Can Taipei City Government suggest a better fare for students on field trips?
TAIPEI 101 has beautiful night time lighting. However, due to the cost of electricity, the lighting is losing money. Is it possible that Taipei City Government can provide a favor financially or consider reducing the taxes, so 101 can present the lighting extravaganza and continue brightening up the Taipei landscape in the night?

Thank you for your patience and kindness to read our letter. You can email us at maywang@mail2000.com.tw. Your prompt response to our inquiries will be highly appreciated.

Looking forward to hearing from you very soon.

Very sincerely yours,

“Fantastic 9”: Jun-Cheng Lee, Yi-En Wen, Si-Ning Hsu, Wen-Han Wang, Chi-Heng Chen,Yu-Ting Chen, Hsuan-Wei Lai, Hsuan-Chung Lai, and Yu-Tung Cheng, at Ren Ai Elementary School

Oct. 10, 2005

From: the Finance Department
To: “Fantastic 9”
Date: Oct. 19, 2005

Dear “Fantastic 9”,
We have received your letter dated Oct. 11 to Mayor Ma. Mayor Ma is very concerned about your study project, and because your topics involve the city's finance, traffic, and other departments, so our department provides the answers below:

What benefit, or value, does TAPEI 101 bring to Taipei City ?
TAIPEI 101 is able to supply 3704220 square meters of floor space for financial and related industries as office space. Its daily visitors and patrons can reach 40,000 per day, thus bring Taipei city new business opportunities. The income from taxes and land lease contributes to Taipei 's finance, and its presence assists the overall development of the Xin Yi District and the community in the region. The land for the TAIPEI 101 is leased by the Taipei City in the mean of BOT, and the Taipei Financial Building Company has won the bid for the use of the land for 70 years. At the end of the term the land plus the building will be transferred to the City with no charge, and this ensures benefits for the company and its shareholders, as well as the City and its citizens.

How much income from rents and taxes can TAIPEI 101 generate for Taipei City ?
The leasing fee for the land per year is4.25 million USD, and taxes are approximately12.5 million USD.

Why was TAIPEI 101 built in Xin Yi District and not somewhere else? Has Taipei City Government ever considered moving its offices to TAIPEI 101?
The City and the Executive Yuan of the Central Government decided in 1991 during the national financial meeting to choose a public land for the civilian to develop an international financial building, enabling Taipei City to become a regional financial center. After several meetings with the Executive Yuan and the Central Financial Department and the Central Bank, the lot A22 of Xin Yi District was decided for the planned site.

Also, Taipei City Government has no plan for office relocation at the present time.

TAIPEI 101 observatories are a very important tourist attraction in Taipei , but the entry fee is not quite affordable to most of us. Can Taipei City Government suggest a better fare for students on field trips?
Regarding the fare, we have inquired with TAIPEI 101 Corporation and the answer is that there is a 10% discount on group fare, and you can also check TAPEI 101' s website for special discounts.

TAIPEI 101 has beautiful night time lighting. However, due to the cost of electricity, the lighting is losing money. Is it possible that Taipei City Government can provide a favor financially or consider reducing the taxes, so 101 can present the lighting extravaganza and continue brightening up the Taipei landscape in the night?
TAIPEI Financial Building is a civilian profit organization, and its management is responsible for its operation and finance. Currently the City has no mechanism in providing any financial support.

Letter from the Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government

From: Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government
Date: 10/18/2005

Dear Children,
The Municipal Government highly appreciates your inquiry about the traffic congestion in XinYi District, and would like to let you know the solution this department is working on. In addition to TAIPEI 101 and Taipei World Trade Center , there are four halls of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store, Warners' Brother Cinematic Complex, and other shopping and entertainment centers attracting show-goers, tourists, and shoppers. The traffic problems often arise during holidays and major trade shows.

To improve the traffic condition, our solutions are:

•  Xin Yi Expressway
Xin Yi Expressway connects Xin Yi District with Wen San District and the Highway 2, providing shortened passage to Taipei County and outskirts of Taipei on the other side of city. It greatly reduces the congestion of traffic since it was opened in May, 2005.

•  Constant Holiday Traffic Management Mechanism
Due to the possible traffic congestion during holidays and large trade show events, Taipei Police Traffic Squad and Xin Yi Precinct employs special management mechanisms to deal with different congestion situations, including the constant deployment of police officers to conduct and guide traffic flows and lane managements for major roads within the area.

•  The Construction of MRT, Xin Yi Line
Due to the raffic congestion resulted by the construction of MRT Xin Yi Line, we have set up a special center for its traffic control. We are confident that after theXin Yi Line is completed, the traffic of its nearby area will undoubtedly be improved.

Thank you for your concern. We believe that together through our efforts we can make this city better.
Sincerely yours,
Department of Transportation, Taipei City Government

Letter from the Department of Educations, Taipei City Government

From: Department of Educations, Taipei City Government
Date: 10/25/2005

Dear Students,
The e-mail you sent to the mayor was relayed to us. Regarding your question on whether TAIPEI 101 can provide discounted fare for students on field trips, we at the Department of Education will do our best communicate an discuss with TAIPEI 101, encouraging enrichment of our extra-curriculums studies outside of schools.

TAIPEI 101 public relations office's reply to our query is that currently the best discount fare is for group tour at US$8 per person. They wish you can understand at the present time no further discount can be given.

Thank you for your e-mail, and we wish you well at school.
Sincerely yours,
Department of Educations, Taipei City Government