October 12 is "back to school day" for Ontario politicians. After tucking into their Thanksgiving turkey, MPPs will head down to Toronto for the opening of the fall legislative session. There, they will be treated to a Throne Speech which will lay out the government's mid-term agenda.

What will the government's priorities be for the next two years - and what should they be Since taxpayers seem so easily forgotten by this government, we at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation thought we would offer the Premier some advice.

"We promise to eliminate the deficit by curbing spending, not by raising your taxes"

Since taking office, Premier McGuinty has broken innumerable promises, but the one that sticks most strongly in taxpayers' craws is his pledge not to raise taxes and not to run deficits. The government currently claims it is "on track" to balance the budget by the end of its first term, yet fails to mention that it is funding this commitment with the biggest tax hike in a decade, the health tax imposed in 2004. Currently spending more per capita, when adjusted for inflation, than the NDP government of Bob Rae back in the 1990's, the McGuinty Liberals have no excuse to run any kind of deficit, let alone raise taxes. They should balance the books by trimming waste and doing business more efficiently.

"We pledge to put a stop to corporate welfare."

Over the past two years, the government has bent over backward to give taxpayers' money to auto plants, ethanol producers, and steelmakers. Yet despite the hundreds of millions thrown their way, GM and Ford will not be creating net jobs, but laying off workers in Ontario plants. Playing the subsidy game isn't working - it never has. Government should stop putting hard earned tax dollars into the pockets of profitable multi-nationals and instead lower business taxes to make Ontario a more competitive environment for all businesses.

"We promise to hold full and fair consultation on the new City of Toronto Act to ensure that it helps, not hurts, economic growth."

The premier has promised to overhaul the legislation that governs what Toronto can and cannot do, from setting bar hours to placing speed bumps. Problem is, what the City really wants are new regulatory and taxation powers. Businesses are understandably worried that revenue-thirsty councilors will use these powers to tax them out of existence. Lest one dismiss this as a "Toronto issue", it isn't; what happens with this Act will set the bar for municipalities across Ontario. The premier should take the time to get this law right, not simply rush it through before the next municipal election in 2006.

"We will reform the property tax system to bring fairness and equity to a system that currently has neither."

Facing property evaluations that are rising faster than gas prices, Ontario property owners are seeing red. Double-digit increases in their property tax bills are making some residents think twice about whether they can afford to keep their homes. Yet the government hasn't said a peep. It needs to take a hard look at current value assessment and consider other options, such as capping property tax increases at the level of inflation, and setting clear terms for the way the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation performs its assessments.

So will these issues make the cut for the Throne Speech on October 12 Taxpayers can only wait and see. But of one thing they - and the premier - can be sure: the CTF will be watching and reminding him of taxpayers' priorities in 2005-06.