“Can you imagine what would have happened if we had nobody to plow the street or salt the roads during these last snow storms?” Stemple said. “That is what we are facing here if the income tax fails.”

The village has been in fiscal emergency since 2008 due to years of overspending and bad record keeping. By a 6-1 vote, council instituted a five-year, 1percent income tax in December, even though the measure had been soundly defeated at the election box just a month earlier. Only Waynesville Mayor Earl Isaacs voted against the tax.

Waynesville residents will vote again on May 4 on whether to keep the tax after more than 500 residents signed a petition to request its removal.Officials say the tax will be used to make up a $178,000 deficit in street and general funds.

The finance committee met Monday, March 1, at the urging of the Economic Recovery Committee to develop a “what-if” scenario if the referendum is passed.

“It’s imperative to let people know there will be severe cuts,” said Councilman Alan Bunker. “We’ll be reducing our staff to the point of near elimination, to the point they will no longer function ... Even doing that won’t necessarily get us out of deficit. It won’t be a pretty picture.”

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