Cynics might be tempted to conclude that Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez's proposed budget cuts are aimed at getting the County Commission to pass a hefty tax hike to offset a $427 million budget hole in these hard times.

With proposed cuts for elderly programs, parks and recreation, transportation and the arts, everyone's battling to get commissioners' attention. So are long-time homeowners already miffed that the mayor's budget plan includes a modest property tax increase. And county employees also are griping about layoffs and a proposed 5 percent salary cut even though their raises and benefits during the flush years have been much more generous than in the private sector.

Beleaguered arts groups offer an example of the grueling political battles ahead. Certainly arts groups have more political muscle than many social service groups to try to sway commissioners to keep funding at this year's level of $14.8 million.

Mr. Alvarez offered a budget that seeks to make cuts countywide -- except no job losses for public safety -- but his proposed arts cut runs too deep. He wants to slash two-thirds of that annual budget to $4.4 million.

With the county's unemployment rate over 10 percent, some taxpayers might consider arts funding a frill. That would be a mistake.

The arts serve as an economic engine, pumping money into this area's tourism industry and improving residents' quality of life.

Miami-Dade's Cultural Affairs Council points out that arts programs and festivals deliver almost $1 billion in local economic impact and employ almost 23,000 workers.

More than 12 million locals and visitors attend cultural events each year in Miami-Dade, and arts programs for poor children and the elderly spread the joy for the arts throughout the community.

Much of the money the council doles out contributes about 8 percent on average to 500 groups. It's seed money that leverages 27 times more funding from private donations, foundations and ticket sales. Without that money, the groups risk losing already dwindling private-sector support in these tough times. And even though Miami-Dade's Department of Cultural Affairs received the maximum federal stimulus grant this year, it's only $250,000.

That $14.8 million public investment in the arts pays off handsomely. So, yes, the mayor's proposed $11 million cut is too severe. Programs that help the economy need to be spared not slaughtered.

The county's budget problem won't be solved by targeting arts groups. That's not where the waste is.

In a recession, no group should be spared from the pain affecting everyone else, and arts groups need to continue to look for sensible mergers, salary trims and other ways to tighten their spending. But targeting cultural groups for big cutbacks is neither fair nor a practical solution for the budget crisis.

When trimming the budget, commissioners should use a scalpel on funding for the arts -- not the mayor's ax.