How Smith government would impact Edmonton

"The Capital View" continues Tuesday, with a look at what a Wildrose government would mean for Edmonton.

Danielle Smith believes her candidates are getting incredible reaction from Edmontonians.

"They've seen a real openness and enthusiasm for the kind of ideas that we're putting forward."

Smith says her party's 10-10 plan gives municipalities the resources they need to take care of the issues that matter to them.

"Our commitment to municipalities, that would flow through ten per cent of provincial tax revenues and ten per cent of budget surpluses, is going to result in significantly more dollars going down to the municipal level to be spent local infrastructure needs."

Smith has been very vocal about the fact that her priority is to balance the budget, and other "nice-to-have" items will have to wait.

"I absolutely believe that the Royal Alberta Museum is a worthwhile project but it does fall into the category of the nice-to haves."

And when it comes to the downtown arena.

"Those are issues we would leave at the local level. We have said we would not provide provincial funding for an arena."

She does however, support a ticket lottery that she says would generate millions of dollars for Edmonton.

"If you calculate that out over ten to 20 years it's going to be significant dollars. It would allow them to reach the shortfall, I believe, and also give them an additional source of revenue."

University of Alberta political scientist, Jim Lightbody, weighs in on what he thinks Smith's party would do for Edmonton.

"In week one, what she said was she would re-initiate the airport debate. That suggests she's not in tune to the marching orders and the marching band at city hall Edmonton," He says adding, "I think that the leader of the wildrose is so confident in the integrity of her platform that she does not feel the need to curry favour with city council in Edmonton."

While the wildrose party feels good about their chances in Edmonton, Lightbody is not so optimistic.

"It is clear that the Wildrose party is going to win this election, if it does, in rural Alberta and about half of the Calgary ridings," says Lightbody.

Mayor Stephen Mandel is weighing in as well. He says it is important to celebrate provincial achievement through our city.

"We are the capital city, so we'd like to see a government that understands the importance of featuring the capital and investing in the capital, not just as a city but as a capital part, as a precinct itself. There's many things, and some parties have a better understanding of that than others."

Our series continues Wednesday, with a look at how an NDP government would impact Edmonton.

With files from Vinesh Pratap.