I usually go about in the following manner… for those who know their economics, I prefer supply-side policy whilst remembering to add the human touch!!
I start off by adding Technology development grant, rural development grant, stem cell research, generous university grants, tax shelters => kicks start your economy bringing in loads of revenue … reducing the rate of various taxes would increase participation biting into the underground economy & save govt. resources
I remove Bus lanes, allow road expansion, subsidise bus transport, have zero import tariffs, reduce fuel duty =>
I add childcare, reduce maternity leave, strengthen laws against alcohol (only low strength beer) => increases productivity
I bring in strong pollution controls (major fines), tax car rather than fuel
I believe in strong spy network and at least a well-trained military
I fully fund the community police officers, improve prison cells and increase funding for the Police backed by strong gun control rules
I like the widespread use of trial by jury
With a falling debt and much improved finances, I turn my attention to free school meals, free eyesight checkups, Legal aid, disability benefit, child benefit and international aid for development…
Once poverty and unemployment are removed, you could start to remove unemployment benefits and even state housing
… bring in property tax, aviation tax, inheritance tax, etc always remembering however to keep them at Low/ Fair level to reduce the negative impact on the economy…
Yeah, I developed a strategy similar to that; starting of by boosting growth with pro-business policies, and then tax the hell out of them when my GDP is up high.
Import Tariffs-Maximum
Corporate Tax: get rid of it altogether! The rise in GDP pays off your income losses.
Income Tax - depends. At some point (after the first election) I cut it to eliminate zax evasion, then raise to average
Sales Tax - High. Or very high, if necessary.
Pensions- none at all! Retireds like me by free bus passes. Poverty is killed by eye tests and school meals.
Recycling - Not necessary, but cheap. Not important at all.
Car Emission Limits - Just for a short time, to get rid of asthma. After that, away with it.
Internet Tax - Never! Bad for GDP!
Airline Tax - Like Internet tax. Never!!!
Technology Grants- Maximum!!! I cannot stress this enough!
Small Business Grants - Too expensive. Getting rid of corporation tax does it better.
Toll Roads - Maximum!
Car Tax - Rather high.
Petrol Tax - High, depends on the situation.
Alcohol - Never paid attention to it.
Alcohol Tax - In the first term to balance the budget: high, afterwards none at all.
Cigarette Tax - As above.
Legalize Prostitution - Always make the religious like you. This is a no-go.
Death Penalty - Get rid of crime by a huge police force instead.
Gated Communities - Maximum. Without poverty, this is about the only way to make the wealthy like you.
Sattelite Road Monitoring - Not necessary. It does not bring much money, and reducing the car usage can be done better.
Community policing - Maximum. The best type of policing!
CCTV cameras - In extreme cases for a short time.
ID cards - No.
Police force: as high as the budget allows it
Prisons: The same.
Legal aid: max
Jury trial: universal.
Inheritance Tax - No.
Agricultural Grants - Rural development keeps farmers happy. This one is too expensive.
Pollution controls: Bad for GDP => NO!!! Car emission limits instead.
Rural Development: Maximum!
Clean Energy Subsidies: Maximum!
Plastic Bag Tax: No.
Labour Laws: None.
Organic Farming Subsidies: Not necessary. Cut on spending!
State Housing: None at all! Too expensive. School meals & eye tests instead.
Pensions: None at all!
Unemployment Payments: No.
Disability Benefit: No.
Child-Care: Max. Good for productivity, GDP and parents. Inexpensive.
Military Service: Light Defensive.
National Service: Not necessary.
Foreign Aid: Medium.
Free eye test: max
Free school meals: max
Faith school subsidies: as high as the budget allows
School prayers: just in countries with lots of religious people
Stem cell: just in countries without religious people.
Drugs: Never legalize anything!
Streets: existing roads fixed
Bus subsidies: medium
Toll roads: medium
Clean fuel subsidies: max (very important).
State health service: keep it very low, it´s horribly expensive.
Intelligence services: sizeable
University grants: maximum
I think i have got it all. With these policies, you will have a balanced budget, the GDP is soaring to never experienced heights, and you get a solid majority of Capitalists (GDP!), Socialists, Liberals, Religious, Conservative, State employees, Parents (after asthma), Retireds, Commuters, Environmentalists, Poor and Farmers. Additionally, all the problems will be solved and you get Technological advantage, high productivity and (probably) tourism boom. You just have to be aware of the Equality, but with high enough average income, it should not be a huge problem.
Works on the highest difficulty as well, in all the countries (with minor adaptions).
Interestingly, this is a very anti-socialist; fiscally conservative (US), economically liberal (Europe); law-and-order (as well as holy green) agenda.