Here is what many taxpayers would like to have heard in Premier Klein's annual televised address:

"Fellow Albertans, we have made tremendous progress in the past decade. We've repaid over twenty billion dollars of debt, and have reduced personal income tax and business taxes.

But we're not going to rest on our laurels.

In keeping a promise I made in 1997, this government will introduce taxpayer protection legislation, making it mandatory for all proposed new taxes and tax increases to be put to referendum for approval by Albertans. No longer will politicians be able to raise any tax at any time for any reason, as they are now.

This government will also introduce legislation giving Albertans the right to initiate and vote in referendums on issues important to them. No longer will politicians have complete, absolute and total control of the political process, but citizens will be able to participate actively and directly in democracy themselves.

We are going to introduce spending control legislation. On a per-person basis, Alberta's spending on government programs is already the highest in Canada. Program spending is up by 90% in eight years, in contrast to Alberta's 15% population growth and 23% inflation during the same time period.

We are going to reduce the size of cabinet back down to 17, like when I first became Premier in 1992. A large cabinet is both a symptom and a cause of large government.

We will penalize ministers who fail to meet their budgets. We will pass legislation like British Columbia's Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act, which promotes accountability by penalizing cabinet ministers if their ministries - or if the government as a whole - fail to adhere to budgetary targets.

We will limit growth in public sector salaries to the same rate of increases received by workers in the private sector. In contrast to large public sector wage increases, we will cut taxes to help all Albertans - including public sector workers.

We are going to abolish the health care premium tax for all Albertans, not just seniors. No longer will families have to pay $1,056 in health care premium taxes each year, because the Alberta government simply does not need this extra revenue.

We will abolish the 3% hidden sales tax on insurance. This will leave an extra $191 million per year in the pockets of Albertans - over $200 for a family of four - and will lower the cost of car insurance for everyone.

We will empower parents with choice on child care. In addition to the personal and spousal exemptions, there will be an income tax exemption of $6,000 per child. This will save parents up to $600 per child per year in provincial income tax, keeping more of their own earnings to pay the cost of child care. This will empower Alberta parents with choice, in contrast to Ottawa's plan to help only those parents who choose institutional childcare over home-care.

Last but not least, we are going to use this year's $5.7 billion surplus to refund Albertans the $4.8 billion they paid in provincial income tax in 2004. It's your money - not ours. I know that you will spend your money with more wisdom and greater care than any politician ever can or will.

May God continue to bless Alberta. Thank you, and good-night."