Provo Mayor Lewis Billings will trade jabs again this campaign season with retired fire Capt. Dave Bailey, whom the two-term incumbent squeaked past four years ago by fewer than 400 votes.

Other hopefuls also could enter the race, but with the two finalists from 2001's heated contest definitely in, the 2005 showdown promises to be a fiery one.

Bailey, a political unknown before 2001's nail-biter, plans to declare his candidacy this morning - the first day hopefuls can officially declare their candidacies - and Billings will do the same later in the 30-day filing period.

The two see eye to eye on few Provo issues and haven't been shy about taking political pokes at each other.

"It's going to come down to whether [voters] want a tired old administration that is just trying to feather its own nests," Bailey said Thursday. "Or do they want new leadership that will guide us back to the grand days of Provo with a forward-thinking approach?"

In a statement released this week, Bailey accuses the Billings administration of interfering and competing with businesses, doing little to support new enterprises and indirectly contributing to rising crime rates by under-funding the police and fire departments.

Billings rebuts the allegations and points instead to a recent Business Week article naming Provo a hot spot for entrepreneurs as proof of his administration's business encouragement.

"To distort, discredit and mislead is something I would hope is not a part of this campaign," Billings said. "I want to hear what he's going to do to move the city forward."

A former business executive, Billings is finishing his second four-year term as Provo's chief executive while Bailey, who retired in February after 30 years of firefighting in the city, is taking his second stab at a first time in public office.

Bailey also scolds Billings for pushing iProvo. The challenger calls the costly cable-phone-Internet infrastructure "Billings' Iraq," but concedes his own position on the $40 million investment is to stay the course.

"We're in it now and we're in it deep," Bailey said. "Regardless of what happens, we're going to protect our investment."

Billings defends Provo, insisting the venture is in residents' interests.

In fact, he fears iProvo and other city projects, such as the $8 million Performing Arts Center, could suffer "significant efficiency loss" if Bailey prevails.

"We need to make sure we finish what we started," he said. "I would have some concern seeing a change in the middle. I don't think [Bailey] has caught the vision that would be needed to guide it and drive it."

Bailey will kick off his campaign at noon today during a luncheon for contributors at the White Willow Reception Center. Billings will launch his re-election push later when he officially declares his candidacy.

thollingshead@sltrib.com