Take a Little but Not Too Much : City’s dire straits do require creativity, but . . .

The Los Angeles City Council is scheduled to vote today on a controversial proposal to dip into the treasury of the Community Redevelopment Agency to pay for some city services. The proposal calls for diverting $48.3 million from the CRA to make up part of the shortfall in the city budget, which was estimated at $183 million before the riots.

Alas, raiding CRA funds risks setting a precedent, one that seriously could erode the agency’s revitalization efforts at a time when it is crucial for the city to rebuild. Before the riots, Mayor Tom Bradley had said $25 million was the “outer limit” that should be contributed by the CRA for city police and fire services. Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who first came up with the helpful and creative idea of using CRA funds, wants a total of $48.3 million, a sum that would also help to fund the Convention Center and Central Library.

No doubt emergency conditions warrant emergency responses. For the sake of maintaining public safety, it is justifiable to tap $25 million from the CRA. But, for now, that should be the limit.

Diverting more funds intended for redevelopment to meet basic city needs would be hasty, premature and possibly in violation of state law.

The CRA can play an important role in restoring riot-torn Los Angeles, but more time is needed to come up with a sensible rebuilding plan. Already because of the riots, the CRA has set aside $20 million in grants for businesses in damaged areas. The grant proposal is awaiting City Council approval, subject to review by a council committee.

Meanwhile, CRA Administrator Ed Avila says he can come up with at least $10 million for police and fire services, and hopes to free up as much as $25 million without setting back existing redevelopment projects in 17 areas--10 of which suffered serious damage during the riots. His staff worked over the weekend to determine whether the CRA also could help the city-financed Central Library and Convention Center, which are in redevelopment zones but were not damaged.

It’s a fine balancing act. The CRA does not want to indefinitely postpone important affordable-housing, child-care and other projects. These would help minority businesses in many hard-hit areas.

CRA money given to the city will not be repaid. Therefore, it should be released sparingly and wisely. This is a special case, not a license for raiding the redevelopment piggy bank to balance the city budget. The agency’s mandate is to revitalize blighted areas, greatly expanded with the riots. The CRA supports state legislation that would allow some redevelopment money to go for public safety. So $25 million for police and fire services makes sense--but no more, certainly, for now.