Very rich art people supported Mallahan last fall. The rest of us arts types went for McGinn—and he made some campaign promises about the arts that were very specific.

So far he's broken one already, and I'm pissed about it.

From his own list of promises on his campaign site:

I will also be an advocate for continued funding for 4Culture through the already existing lodging tax.

Now, at last week's arts commission meeting McGinn didn't really know what commissioner Fidelma McGinn was talking about when she asked for the mayor's support in lobbying the state legislature on behalf of 4Culture.

I know the mayor has a lot to think about and an economic crisis, too. But we have to make sure the arts don't fall through the cracks—all we're talking about here is a little help, a little politicking, not money.

As I've reported before repeatedly, if 4Culture is not re-funded through the existing measures during next year's legislative session, then this proud, longstanding King County agency will have zero funding source. There is not a single local arts nonprofit—all types and all sizes are supported by 4Culture—that won't suffer because of it. Which means artists and audiences suffer, too.

And you, McGinn, promised you'd help—but during this last legislative session, you didn't.

Next year is the last chance for this legislation to go through. As I've reported in this week's paper in a piece called "Are You Our Guy? What Mike McGinn's Mayoralty Means for the Arts," Darryl Smith, the deputy's mayor for community, is an arts person through and through.

I also did a Q&A with the mayor about just what kind of art he actually likes.

Anybody who cares about any kind of arts—music, dance, art, theater, opera, film, architecture, graffiti, you name it—and believes the arts matter to Seattle, organize, organize, organize.

And let's stop the arts from becoming an unnecessary, convenient casualty during times of crisis.

In this matter, McGinn and Smith: You are our guys. We expect you to actively advocate for 4Culture next legislative session. That's one thing you can do without spending a dime, and let's face it, you should.