The Ustka City Council is trimming more than just the budget; they are also reducing waist, moving the fat from one line item to another and taking new measures to improve their town's figure:

The mermaid patron of a Polish coastal town faces plastic surgery after councilors decided her breasts were too small and hips too wide, a city official said Monday.

The mermaid's looks became a hot topic during talks in the city hall on a promotion campaign for Ustka, a small port on the Baltic coast, in which the town's mermaid shield was supposed to play a key role.

"There was a discussion about the coat of arms and one female councilor said jokingly that the mermaid's breasts were too small and that she was a bit fat," city hall spokesman told Reuters.

It started out as just a joke, but transformed into a real issue. Why? Once the local and national media started talking about the proposal, the city council enjoyed the coverage and wanted more:

"We are now considering altering the mermaid slightly by making her breasts bigger and making her leaner," the spokesman said. "She will become more attractive and Ustka will gain publicity."

I suppose the motivation behind this boob job is no different than that of all the others.