- Alberta government's revenues, per person, are the highest in Canada
- Government can easily abolish health care premium tax, 3% sales tax on insurance
- Klein encouraged to honour long-standing promise of taxpayer protection legislation

Click here for the CTF's 2005-06 Pre-budget submission Empowering taxpayers with smaller government.

EDMONTON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today presented Finance Minister Shirley McClellan with its recommendations for Budget 2005-06, expected to be introduced in March. Called "Empowering taxpayers with smaller government," the 20-page document presents the Finance Minister with twelve recommendations, as follows:

1. Protect taxpayers with legislation, to require that a referendum be held prior to the introduction of any new taxes or tax increases. This would fulfill a long-standing promise of Premier Klein, and would accord with the wishes of 83% of Albertans.

2. Control spending with legislation. Alberta's spending on government programs is up 90% in eight years, compared to 15% population growth and 23% inflation.

3. Reduce Albertans' tax burden by $1.5 billion, by abolishing the health care premium tax ($893 million) and the 3% hidden sales tax on insurance ($191 million), and allowing parents a per-child tax exemption ($200 million) and reducing provincial property tax by one sixth ($200 million).

4. Abolish the health care premium tax for all Albertans. Abolishing this tax for seniors was a small step in the right direction, but a family with children, earning $35,000 per year, must still pay $1,056 per year.

5. Abolish the 3% hidden sales tax on insurance, which would leave an extra $191 million per year in the pockets of Albertans - over $200 for a family of four - and would lower the cost of car insurance for everyone.

6. Empower parents with choice on child care, through a per-child tax exemption.

7. Use a portion of oil and gas royalties for income tax refunds.

8. Limit growth in public sector salaries.

9. End the government's monopoly on health care.

10. Don't go back into debt in the name of infrastructure.

11. Penalize ministers who fail to meet their budgets.

12. Reduce the size of cabinet back down to 17 ministers, as it was in 1992.