Listen up fans of big government, big spending, and bloated budgets. You just got a dose of great news in the Alberta government's First Quarter Fiscal Update. Only three months into the fiscal year and already government revenues are projected to be up $1.5-billion for the year. But the exciting news for fans of fiscal recklessness is the government has already spent 87 per cent of it!

There's new money for 16 of the 24 government departments. Of course, the biggest winners are health care and education. Those poor health authorities were budgeted to survive on a measly ten per cent increase over their '05 budgets. And did anyone really expect school boards to be able to live with a slim nine per cent boost this year Well worry not - health care and education are now receiving 13 and 15 per cent increases over their last year's budget. You gotta love the government's "just say when" policy of health care and education budgeting!

But wait, there is more. Based on these early projections, the government also increased its Capital Plan commitments by an additional $1.8-billion of which $711-million will be spent this year.

You remember that crazy government policy of under-estimating revenues that resulted in annual surplus budgets and faster debt repayment Well, for those people sick and tired of seeing the government consistently low-ball resource revenues, this update was right up your alley. In fact, the budget update showed the government over-estimated resource prices for natural gas, meaning its anticipated revenues will be a billion dollars lower this year than expected.

What do you mean you are a concerned taxpayer and you believe program spending should be sustainable over the long-term What do you mean you think Alberta should be aware that resource prices could fall, stripping the government of billions of dollars You've obviously been listening to those worry-warts who think spending must be controlled and budgets were meant to be followed.

Budgets are like rules - they were made to be broken. Just like the rule the government set in 2003, that they could only spend the first $3.5-billion of resource revenues on programs. That rule has been amended three times in three years, up to $5.3-billion now. Remember the "rule" of thumb the government claims to use for surplus dollars - one-third savings, one-third spending and one-third going back to Alberta taxpayers If that rule had been followed last year, Albertans would have received $3.3-billion in Ralphbucks rather than $1.3-billion.

You don't honestly think history is going to repeat itself Sure, the last time the government over-estimated natural gas revenues while increasing spending in the first quarter, it nearly coasted back to a deficit. Back in 2001, in order to avoid deficit-spending, the government ended up freezing all hiring, cutting ministry budgets, eliminating community lottery boards and deferring infrastructure projects. But that doesn't mean it's going to happen again. Quit worrying.

Yes, it might seem strange that the government is holding an emergency summer session - the first in recent memory - just to pass one bill. But it is an important bill; it allows the government to spend nearly all of the extra money they hope will come in.

Remember, all the extra spending is absolutely necessary. Granted it wasn't so necessary that it needed to go in the budget presented five months ago, but it's still a top priority. After all, Premier Ralph Klein is retiring soon and you know what they say - you can't take it with you.

So let's rejoice lovers of big spending and unsustainable budgets. The money is rolling in and our government is rolling it right back out. The good times are never going to end, at least not under this premier. Heck, when they do, it will be the next guy's problem anyway.