Mayor Mike McGinn's proposed 2011-2012 budget, released Sept. 27, will negatively affect the Ballard Community Center, Ballard and Greenwood wading pools, and the Northwest Neighborhood Service Center in Greenwood.

If the mayor's biennial budget is accepted by the Seattle City Council, the Ballard Community Center, along with five other community centers, will have it's hours reduced from 53 per week during the school year and 46 per week during the summer to 15 to 20 hours per week year round.

According to the budget proposal, the Soundview Playfield wading pool will be open three days per week during the summer, while the wading pools at Gilman Playground and Sandel Playground will be closed in 2011.

Under the mayor's proposed budget, seven of the city's 13 Neighborhood Service Centers will close. The Ballard Neighborhood Service Center will remain open, but the Northwest Neighborhood Service Center in Greenwood will close.

The city is forecasting a $67 million shortfall in the General Fund for 2011, according to a city press release. McGinn's proposed budget for 2011-2012 is $888 million, $13.7 million less than the 2010-2011 budget. The city's total budget for 2011 is $3.9 billion.

“Faced with the daunting challenge of closing a $67 million shortfall in the General Fund and addressing the financial realities in other city funds, I had to make difficult but necessary decisions," McGinn said in the press release. "My goal was to develop a sustainable budget that doesn’t rely on general tax increases and preserves services as much as possible. I met that goal but it is not without consequences."

The proposed budget eliminates 294 positions, resulting in 214 layoffs, including 64 senior positions.

Under the proposed budget, the Seattle Police Department will have 585 sworn officers, up from the record 555 officers currently employed. The Seattle Fire Department will retain its 990 active personnel.

In order to raise additional revenue, the mayor is proposing increasing parking meter hours and rates, increasing the Seattle Public Library daily fine rate, and increasing the fee the Police Department charges to alarm companies that ask them to respond to false alarms. In addition, Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Seattle Municipal Court will increase a number of fees.

The Seattle City Council will spend the next two months reviewing McGinn's proposed budget. A balanced budget must be adopted no later than Dec. 2.