Bowie City Councilwoman Diane Polangin said she wants to ensure that city residents continue to receive the services they have come to depend on without forcing Bowie to take on additional spending in a down economy.

She cites the free crisis intervention counseling offered through Bowie's Youth and Family Services division as an example of the services she wants to maintain.

Her challenger for the District 2 City Council seat, Piero "Pete" Mellits, cites the enhancement of public safety services to residents as his chief concern. Bowie must strengthen communication between city and county agencies and increase police visibility to do so, he said.

"I think crime, given the opportunity, will always grow," Mellits said. "Theft is on the rise; I think it's economically driven. ... A police presence is a big deterrent to crime growing."

Mellits, the manager of a civil engineering firm and former volunteer fire chief, said that, if elected, he will ask the city police force to be more proactive in fighting crime and speeding. He supports expanding the current 47-member police department to 57 officers — the goal outlined when Bowie residents approved a police department in 2005 — and adding an investigative division.

Polangin, a tax preparation specialist who is seeking a second two-year term, also supports the planned increase of the police department, adding that to stem homegrown crime she supports the city funding youth programming along the lines of a "scared straight" event or youth mentoring.

She also believes Bowie needs a second county school, adding that she plans to continue to pressure the county school board and state legislators to fund the project because the current high school is over capacity.

Mellits said he supports a second high school if current and projected enrollment numbers show the school is necessary. He adds that if projections show the school is not needed, then the money for its construction would be better spent on improving other older school buildings in the city.

Both candidates agree the city deserves a better share of services from the county when it comes to Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission facilities and county fire department staffing.

Mellits did not identify an area of the budget he believes could be trimmed In the event the city faces tough budget cuts next year due to shrinking tax revenue. He said he would seek input on the cuts from residents and staff.

Polangin said she does not want the city to take on new projects until the economy improves, adding she would rather cut money for infrastructure — such as street repaving — than money for city services.

"I think people would rather have services than pretty new blacktop," she said. "The streets are in good condition now; we could put [repaving] off for two years."

E-mail Andrea Noble at anoble@gazette.net.

Show me the money

Candidates for city offices are required to file monthly campaign finance reports. The chart below shows how much each candidate in Bowie's three contested races have raised overall since filing for election this year, and how much they had on hand as of Oct. 15. For a complete listing of candidates' campaign finance reports, go to http://www.cityofbowie.org/Election/treasurer_rpts_filings09.asp.

Mayoral race

-Samuel Graham

$300.81; $0 on hand

-*G. Frederick Robinson

$7820; $5849.78 on hand

District 2 City Council

-Piero "Pete" Mellits

$3220; $92.52 on hand

-*Diane Polangin

$7,356; $1848.46 on hand

At-large City Council

-*Dennis Brady

$2525; $795 on hand

-Anthony Kennedy

$505; $17.30 on hand

-*Geraldine Valentino-Smith

$3350; $730.38 on hand

*Denotes Incumbent