Candidates from local races traveled to Van Wyck Monday night for one of the last candidate forums before the June primaries.

Candidates for House District 45, Senate District 16 and the Indian Land seat on the Lancaster County Council were represented at the forum, along with Democrat Barry Faile, the county's only candidate for sheriff.

Managing growth was an issue of concern for both candidates for the county council's District 1 seat, currently held by Panhandle representative Bryan Vaughn, who is not seeking another term. Republicans Alan Patterson and Larry McCullough are vying to replace him.

If elected, McCullough said, he would work to create a master plan for growth that addresses the needs for more firefighters and police protection.

Patterson agreed and said the county also needs to continue to make sure growth pays for itself.

"I believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," Patterson said. "As we continue to grow, we're going to need more police representation. It's just absolutely mandatory."

There is no Democratic candidate for the District 1 council seat.

Managing growth is also an important topic for Senate District 16 candidate Mandy Powers-Norell, a Democrat. That and bringing new jobs to the county.

"If you're a Panhandle resident fed up with the noise and traffic and the growth that is going on unchecked, your voice will be heard in my campaign," said Powers-Norell.

Government spending was a much discussed issue.

"We've spent way more than we should," Democrat Tony Starnes, seeking the District 45 seat, said. "Our state motto should be, 'If you don't have it, don't spend it.'"

Deborah Long, one of the Republican candidates for House District 45 seat, said the state should be accountable for taxpayer dollars and spend them responsibly. House District 45 candidate Bruce Miller, a Republican, said unity is another issue that confronts the person elected to the seat. Lancaster is a county divided, he said, between the Panhandle and the southern end of Lancaster.

"It's the Hatfields and McCoy's all over again," Miller said. "It's time to move forward as a family."

Donald Huffman, a Democrat running for House District 45 seat, issued a promise that he would not raise taxes unless absolutely necessary, and said that improving health care is one of the few reasons he would consider a tax increase.