Premier Jean Charest says his government has spent the past seven years working to reduce the tax burden on the middle class, and the latest budget is no exception.

"Sixty percent of the burden is going to be on the shoulders of government," he said in an interview with CTV Montreal news anchor Mutsumi Takahashi.

In a budget tabled Tuesday by Finance Minister Raymond Bachand, the government announced that it will hike its sales tax to 9.5 per cent in January 2012, in addition to increasing fuel taxes, boosting postsecondary tuition fees, jacking up hydroelectricity rates and introducing an annual health fee.

The goal is for the province to balance its budget by 2013-14, and Charest said taxpayers must consider the bigger picture.

"The disposable income of Quebecers, no matter what their income range, is going to be higher in 2013 with the measures we announced yesterday than it was in 2003," said Charest.

"We want Quebecers to have more money in their pocket, and they will, relative to where they were in 2003."

Charest said measures have been put in place to ease the burden on low income earners who are particularly concerned about the new annual health care fee that will come into effect this July.

The fee will be $25 in 2010, and will rising to $200 by 2012 – with the possibility of a health deductible in the future.

"We put in a tax credit for those who are low income earners, and it's a very generous tax credit," Charest said.

The premier noted that the budget takes into account the rising costs associated with the health care system, and the fact that Quebec's population is aging.

"It's one of the biggest and most important responsibilities of our government to be able to take care of our health care system, so that it is there for other people. That's what we're doing in this budget."

Charest said he understands Quebecers' concerns about weaknesses in the health care system, including ER overcrowding and long wait times.

"That's also one of our preoccupations, to make the system work more effectively and more efficiently than it has in the past," he said.

With files from The Canadian Press