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The Democratic candidates for the Pima County Board of Supervisors squared off over elections integrity, growth and budget oversight at a sometimes raucous debate Thursday hosted by the Pima County Democratic Nucleus Club.

Supervisors Sharon Bronson and Ramón Valadez were questioned repeatedly about the county's decision to go to court to prevent the release of elections databases. A judge later ordered the release of all databases from past elections and ordered the county to pay the Democratic Party's attorney's fees.

Bronson and Valadez said they always supported the release of the databases but had to rely on the advice of their attorneys and Secretary of State Jan Brewer that the release represented a threat to the security of the elections system, a response that brought jeers and hisses from some in the crowd.

Valadez blamed Brewer's stiff opposition to any changes in elections procedure and pointed to a recent vote to scan images of ballots and make them available to the public in defiance of Brewer's orders as evidence he takes the issue seriously.

Democratic Party activist Donna Branch-Gilby, who said she was motivated to run against Bronson because of Bronson's position on releasing the databases, said the incumbents shouldn't hide behind lawyers.

"Two of the supervisors were able to see past the lawyer's advice and see that these were public records," she said, referring to Demo-cratic Supervisor and board Chairman Richard Elías and Republican Supervisor Ray Carroll, both of whom are running unopposed for re-election.

Though there have been rumors that Carroll is behind the candidacies of Branch-Gilby and Sahuarita resident Robert Robuck, who is running against Valadez, both said that if elected, they would ensure a Democrat continues to chair the Board of Supervisors.

All four candidates said they supported the counting of the paper ballots from the Regional Transportation Authority election to determine once and for all whether the vote was tampered with.

On growth, Bronson and Valadez defended their records but said the county faces serious challenges ahead.

"We have some very difficult decisions in front of us," Valadez said. "Whether we're talking about moratoriums on growth, that has to be part of the discussion, and we cannot take anything off the table."

Bronson said the county doesn't have legal authority to place a moratorium on growth but could lobby the Legislature to get that authority and for changes to water law. She also pointed to the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, recent changes that will take water use into account when considering land-use decisions and cooperation with the city of Tucson on water issues.

"We got the ball rolling," she said. "We led the charge."

Branch-Gilby praised the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan, but she said the county needs to require rainwater harvesting and better conservation in new construction. She also said new leadership is critical as the county moves to amend its comprehensive plan, which guides land-use decisions.

"We cannot fool ourselves that we can continue to have the growth we had in the past," she said.

Robuck, who has made opposition to the proposed Rosemont copper mine the centerpiece of his campaign, said the county should continue to buy open space to protect it and fight to stop the mine.

Robuck criticized Valadez for being unresponsive to his constituents.

"You wouldn't take my calls. You wouldn't take the calls of the Democratic Party. If you want to talk to the public, you need to pick up the phone," he said.

He also said there needs to be more budget oversight to make sure funds are being spent fairly throughout the county. He said Valadez should not employ South Tucson Mayor Jennifer Eckstrom as his executive assistant and chief of staff, a comment that drew a rebuke from Eckstrom, who was in the audience with her father, former Pima County Supervisor Dan Eckstrom.

Valadez said he understands the community and its needs better than Robuck, who moved here from California several years ago.

"There is a big difference between growing up in a community and making tough decisions and moving here from somewhere else and telling people how to run things," he said.

He rejected the need for a budget oversight committee, saying "the buck stops" with the supervisors, who are accountable to voters.

Branch-Gilby called for oversight committees to keep an eye on the budget, on elections and on ethics. She said the information the county made available on its Web site is no substitute for meetings and conversations.

The county has a budget oversight committee, but it has not met in years. The Republican supervisors recently re- appointed four members, but the Democrats have not done so yet.

Bronson said budget oversight committees are not very useful. She said she would rather see a strategic-planning committee.

"The budget is a reflection of our priorities, and they will tell us how to prioritize our scarce budget dollars," she said.

The primary is Sept. 2. The winner of the District 3 supervisor race will face Republican Barney Brenner in the November general election. The winner of the District 2 primary will be unopposed in the general.