Money is at the center of Bowie's mayoral election.

Incumbent Mayor G. Frederick Robinson says his top priorities are continued funding for expansion of the city's police force, which was started in 2006, and continuing to practice the financial prudence necessary to ensure residents receive a high level of city services in an uncertain economy.

Mayoral challenger Samuel Graham believes city taxes are too high and said he would seek to reroute tax dollars now earmarked for the construction of a new Bowie City Hall to be spent on recreation facilities, such as an indoor sports complex or college tuition funds for city students.

"I don't think our tax dollars are being spent wisely," said Graham, a retired iron worker who serves as president of the Bowie Boys and Girls Club, a youth sports club. "I don't think anyone who voted for the police department wanted it to become a bottomless pit for their tax dollars."

When residents voted in favor of starting a city police department in 2005, a city analysis advised the department be staffed with a total of 57 officers. It currently has 47 officers.

Rather than increase the police force, Graham believes a more personal approach to policing would increase the effectiveness of the department without costing the city more money. He suggests police walk through problem areas.

"For every hour they are in their car, [they can] get out and walk a trouble spot for 15 minutes," he said.

Robinson, the city's mayor for 11 years and a retired major from the Prince George's County Police Department, said the combined city and county tax rate paid by Bowie residents is at its lowest rate since 2003, thanks in part to cuts in the county tax rate after the city began taking over policing with its own force. He wants the city to reach its goal of a 57-member force so that the force will be fully staffed and capable of patrolling the city and investigating crimes by forming an investigative unit.

He added that he believes Bowie does not receive a proportionate amount of county services for the tax dollars it pays, specifically for parks and recreational services. If re-elected to another two-year term, Robinson said he would lobby county and state legislators for money to make improvements to school buildings and to build a second high school in the city.

Bowie High School, which enrolls roughly 3,000 students, is over capacity, according to data from the school system. Legislators had lobbied for a second high school in Bowie several years ago and had seen money placed in the school system's capital improvement program for the school, but the project has since become less of a priority and the budget no longer contains money for planning or construction of the school.

"I'd opt for a second small school as opposed to one of those 3,000- to 4,000-student schools," Robinson said.

Graham said he believes the city does not need a second high school, adding that he would rather see Bowie have more direct input in school redistricting choices in order to confront problems with overcrowding and underenrollment. The county school board currently makes the final decisions on boundary changes.

Robinson said he has helped Bowie maintain the fiscal prudence necessary to weather the financial storm that governments are now facing. While this year's budget was lean, no core city services had to be cut, he said.

If Bowie is faced with a more difficult budget requiring cuts next year, turning to the city's reserve fund or whittling down some services, such as twice-weekly trash pickup to weekly could be options for saving money, he added.

"Everything is on the table, and you look at all options," Robinson added.