After Alex Salmond came on Mumsnet, I asked a sort of compilation of similar questions (that are important to me) to my local Labour and Lib Dem councillors. They gave me permission to write their answers here.
My problem is that while I agree with a lot of what they both promise, my faith in politicians has been so fundamentally shaken that I just don't know who to believe ... However, they took the time to answer my questions - and I had lots - so the least I can do is post them here, I suppose. I hope this is allowed - I'm not a member of either party. I'm just very unsure who to vote for, and thought this might help anyone else in my position.
I might even choose the Greens, who I voted for last time. They haven't made any promises so they can't break them, but at least their policies are likely to be right for the planet. And I think they are probably less in thrall to vested interests.
I didn't bother with the Tories. Who votes Tory in Scotland? 
This from the Lib Dems:
'... Raising the income tax threshold to £10,000 was a central plank of our Westminster manifesto and will take 90,000 of the lowest paid Scots out of paying income tax altogether. Restoring the pensions link with earnings, ... , will benefit one million Scottish pensioners. Scrapping ID cards, ending the detention of children at Dungavel, setting up a Green Investment Bank with £1 billion of upfront funding for green infrastructure, introducing progressive measures on parental leave, reaching a fair deal for Equitable Life policy holders, reforming capital gains tax and cracking down on tax avoidance ? the list goes on, and these are just the proposals that affect Scotland. And, of course, we are pressing ahead with the Scotland Bill to bring more powers to the Scottish Parliament.
On Local Income Tax
The introduction of a local income tax is long-standing Liberal Democrat policy. I was extremely disappointed when the current SNP Government dropped its manifesto commitment to introduce a local income tax before even bringing proposals to Parliament. I believe it is deeply unfair that the poorest people pay six times as much of their income as the richest in council tax, and a fairer solution must be found. We will be publishing our proposals in our forthcoming manifesto.
On University Education
There has been a separate system of funding higher education in Scotland for over a decade now. I am proud that we have abolished university tuition fees in Scotland in 2000 and we remain implacably opposed to their reintroduction. It is crucial that we come up with a funding solution that is in all of Scotland?s interests and we are now working constructively with the Scottish Government, opposition parties, students and Universities Scotland to fund a sustainable funding solution for Scotland?s HE sector that allows us to continue to invest in students and universities. Most importantly, we have to keep Scottish universities competitive and widen access to the poorest young people. Going to university must be decided on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay and we do not support the re-introduction of tuition fees in Scotland. I will continue to stand up for Scottish students.
On Transport
Clearly a well-organised transport network that moves goods and people around the country efficiently is central to securing our economic growth ambitions. Sustainable transport investment will also help us meet our climate change responsibilities and improve the wellbeing and social inclusion of individuals and communities. Improving the accessibility, affordability and reliability of public transport is key to these objectives. We want to restore the levels of investment in public transport that have dropped under the current government, including increasing the budget for active travel like cycling. We need to make it easier for people to choose greener alternatives to the car.
On Libraries
Libraries are undoubtedly of great value and they deserve protection. The overall decline in their use shows that they must remain relevant to the needs of the community. I?d like to see libraries find ways to attract more users and maximise the benefits of the services they provide, so that people can continue to use and enjoy them in different ways at different times in their lives. Funding for library services is ultimately a matter for local authorities, but we want to give communities more control and influence over how budgets are spent in their areas. This could mean, for example, that a community chooses increased investment in their local library.
On Privatisation
The models and delivery of public services are very different north and south of the border and we do not support reforms to Scottish services of the type currently underway in England and Wales. Our priorities are to give greater power and accountability to head teachers so they can spend more time teaching children and not answering the phone to the government, to cut crime by keeping policing local and to cut excessively high pay and bonuses in the public sector so we can help protect frontline jobs and improve standards. Unlike the other parties, who plan to centralise public services, we remain committed to finding local solutions for local people. We reject a one-size-fits-all approach for Scotland.
On the Selling off of the Forests
My party campaigned strongly against the government?s plans to sell off Scotland?s forests and we are committed to retaining Scotland?s forests in public ownership. Green belt designation under the Scottish Planning Policy is designed to prevent unsuitable developments. In my constituency, the policies governing the operation of the Edinburgh Green Belt make it clear that one of the objectives is to ?maintain a continuous Green Belt around the City?. We need to ensure that planning regulations are being implemented effectively to protect and enhance the quality, character, landscape and identity of towns and cities. It is vital that local communities are involved at every stage of the planning process'.
This from Labour:
'The Labour Party manifesto is currently in the process of being produced and will be published in the next few weeks. As such I have answered in a personal capacity.
Council Tax
I think that reforming Council Tax is one of the most difficult issues facing the Scottish Parliament (and local government in Scotland), and I do have real fears over the introduction of a Local Income Tax.
Sir Peter Burt, who reviewed the whole issue of local government taxation in Scotland, suggested that for an LIT to raise the same amount of revenue as the current Council tax it would have to be set at 6.5%, so there is a considerable gap between what would be raised if LIT was set at 3%, as proposed by the SNP. I do feel that LIT pushes a far greater tax burden onto working people, and it will especially penalise middle income families and those young people just starting out, where paying an extra few hundred pounds per month would have a real impact on family life. There is also issues surrounding avoidance, and I fear that many very wealthy people would avoid paying LIT, those who live of share income for instance or those with substantial savings or property wealth
Ultimately, I think that some form of property/land based tax is the best way to collect revenue for local government. I do believe that we can make the Council Tax more progressive through the introduction of more bands.
University Tuition Fees
On university education I do believe that the recent decisions down South will have a real impact on Scottish Universities. Clearly given that the UK Government have vastly reduced the funding to universities in England this will mean that there will be a consequential fall in the funding provided to the Scottish Government. That does pose a significant problem for the Scottish Government, and a funding gap that will have to be filled. I would in no way wish to follow the Tory/Liberal tuition fees policy, as I believe that fees of up to £9000 will greatly restrict access to the best universities and act as a real deterrent to students from poorer backgrounds. We do need to find a Scottish solution to this problem, which will ensure that our universities are adequately funded while not passing an undue burden onto students, and it is disappointing that the SNP Government failed to commission a Scottish Higher Education Review to run parallel to that of Browne.
Transport
On road and transport we again face a real challenge. The UK does lag behind the rest of Europe in terms of public transport provision, and as the recent report from Audit Scotland shows we have a massive roads maintenance backlog . I do believe that we should be investing more in public transport and not simply building more roads. I have always been a supporter of the concept of trams in Edinburgh, and while I have real concerns over how this project has been managed over the last few years, I do believe that we should be aspiring to the kind of public transport systems that are seen as normal in many major European cities. I also am greatly concerned that that the SNP Scottish Government cancelled both the Edinburgh and Glasgow Airport Rail Links, and seems to prioritise roads ahead of public transport. Also the SNP recently reduced funding for a scheme to encourage rail freight which has taken some 33 million lorry miles off Scotland's roads since 1997, another backwards step.
Libraries
I am a great supporter of local libraries. I am disappointed that Edinburgh Council cut the library budget by some £600,000 recently and do fear that this could impact on opening hours and the level of service provided. The services available in my own local libraries in Morningside and Fountainbrige are excellent, and they are extremely popular, but we should be extending opening hours not cutting them back.
Privatisation
I do have great fears over the Council's plans for Alternative Business Models, and feel that this could lead to a great deal less local accountability. The Lib Dem/SNP Council Administration are currently spending millions of pounds preparing for many Council services to go out to tender. The Council's Labour Group have consistently asked of far greater scrutiny of this process, and for in-house solutions to be fully considered. You can find more info on this at www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/citynotforsale/
Selling off forests
I am glad that the Tory/Lib Dem Government have now dropped their proposal to sell off the forests in England and Wales, and feel that this is a victory for very many local campaigners. In Scotland the SNP Government did previously plan to sell off 25% of Scotland's forests and the reaction to that sell off in 2009 was very similar. Our forests are to important to be sold off to the highest bidder and I'm please that both the Tory/Lib Dem UK Government, and the SNP Scottish Government have not followed through on their proposals'.