The budget shortfall that led to the secret Council meetings that got canceled is now being dealt with by the Mayor. The Seattle Times reports that Nickels is looking to make cuts in parks, libraries, and the Seattle Center. Rather than canceling any major projects, the cuts will fall mostly on the maintenance end of things. “They’ll notice more smudges on the walls, maybe the carpet’s looking a little rough. Definitely the opera and ballet patrons will notice if walls aren’t painted and scratches are there,” Center spokesperson Deborah Doust told the Times. The Mayor’s also looking to cut two-thirds of the proposed library improvement and maintenance projects next year. Library supporters have seen this writing (as opposed to the smudges) on the wall for some time, and are collecting signatures to present to the Council, which has to approve any cuts Nickels proposes has to approve any cuts Nickels proposes to the 2010 budget [Thanks to city public information officer Kathy Sugiyama for the correction]. We will say this–if the Mayor and Council can get through a $40 million budget shortfall with only smudged paint to show for it, either they’re geniuses or we’re spending way too much on paint.