"Our process of reviewing capital projects, long range financials and operating budgets was broken," Stohlman said. "... But a lot of growth can cover up a lot of broken accounting."

On taxes: Lack of sufficient oversight, is what led to a proposed 19 percent tax increase during the council's 2008 budget negotiations, he said. The proposed increase fell flat amid citizen outrage.

He vowed to continue pushing for fiscal accountability and against a tax increase. "We've always been able to rely on our tremendous growth," he said. "And we just don't have that now."

He added: "While we're waiting for growth and developer fees and government funding to get back to normal levels, we have to prioritize what we're spending on."

On growth: Stohlman thinks the town should keep a close eye on the amount and type of growth in the years ahead.

"Our citizens demand high-quality development in Morrisville," Stohlman said. "But part of the problem is that we don't necessarily have a lot of new area to develop. ... Redevelopment will be a lot of what we'll see and have to contend with during the first wave of growth after we come out of this."

On transportation: The town will have to forge partnerships with Durham, Cary and the N.C. Department of Transportation, Stohlman said. Such alliances could be key if Morrisville hopes to take on such large scale projects as a proposed expansion of N.C. 54.

"Our taxpayers can't afford to fix all our roads on their own," he said. "We're talking about potentially needing tens of millions of dollars from a town of about 15,000. We just don't have the tax base."

Stohlman said that a project like the N.C. 54 expansion could require a bond referendum. "I don't like that because I think bond referendums are just a polite way of saying 'tax increase,' " he said.