REGINA: At 12:45 pm today, Lee Harding of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) presented 11,900 petitions to Sask Party MLA Jim Reiter calling for relief of school property taxes.

"This has been a burning issue for Saskatchewan taxpayers for a long time," explained Lee Harding, Saskatchewan Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. "In 2003, the Boughen Commission called on the province to pay for 70 per cent of K-12 education, leaving 30 per cent from property tax. More than four years later, the ratio is about fifty-fifty. When will this finally change "

The 11,900 petitions have been collected since the Boughen Commission recommended property tax relief in December 2003. About half of the petitions call on the government to increase the provincial share of education funding by $300 million as Boughen recommended. The subsequent petition asks the province to increase its share of education funding to 75 percent of the total.

"Manitoba has already done exactly what we're asking for," explained Harding. "In January, our eastern neighbours injected another $53.5 million to bring the provincial share of education funding to 74.5 percent. Manitoba will spend more than $1 billion on K-12 education next fiscal year, and we spend $750 million, including property tax rebates. Why can't Saskatchewan slash its property taxes "

"Education taxes are enemy number one for CTF supporters," said Harding. "Our annual survey showed that 61 percent feel education taxes are the provincial tax most in need of reform. Business taxes and income taxes trailed far behind. Our 16,800 supporters in Saskatchewan have sent us a clear message, and we have shared that with the government."