EDMONTON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation today encouraged Premier Klein to proceed with taxpayer protection legislation in the Spring 2005 Legislative Session, further to his comments earlier this week in support of the idea.

The premier's commitment to a taxpayer protection law with a referendum requirement is longstanding.

In the Calgary Sun of March 9, 1997, Premier Klein was quoted as saying:

"So let's make it so government cannot increase any taxes unless the people tell us to do so. And that would have to be through a provincial referendum and, quite frankly, I don't think the people would ever approve it."

In the Edmonton Journal of March 10, 1997, Premier Klein was quoted as saying:

"We say as a party no new taxes and we will not raise taxes. But just to show people that we are serious about this, we would like to enshrine it somehow in law."

In a letter to Premier Klein, CTF-Alberta director John Carpay writes:

"On behalf of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), thank you for indicating support for taxpayer protection legislation. The Edmonton Sun quoted you as stating that you would support legislation to prohibit Alberta from going back into debt, and legislation to prevent tax increases.

As you know, the CTF has long advocated taxpayer protection legislation, making it mandatory for proposed new taxes and proposed tax increases to be approved by voters in a referendum before going into effect. Since 1996, taxpayer protection legislation has been one of the recommendations in our annual pre-budget submission to Alberta's Finance Minister, and will be one of the recommendations for Budget 2005-06 as well.

In the past, the CTF was pleased to support your government's balanced budget legislation and debt repayment legislation, and legislation to end government involvement in business ventures.

We would be pleased to support taxpayer protection legislation introduced in the Spring Session in 2005, and provide your government advice and input as may be appropriate.

On behalf of the CTF's supporters in Alberta, I encourage you to pursue this important legislative and democratic reform."