A Better Deal That Should Pass

The budget that comes before the Los Angeles City Council this week for final approval contains a number of important projects for the San Fernando Valley, projects that deserve to make the funding cut and get started. They range from a new fire station in the northeast Valley to improvements around the Van Nuys Civic Center--two areas long neglected by downtown politicians.

Chief among the Valley’s items in the 1998-99 municipal budget is a new $1.1-million fire station in the northeast Valley. It’s a sorely needed project that promises to improve emergency response times and reduce the workload at stations already among the busiest in the city. At the same time, new rescue vehicles will be bought for fire stations Valleywide.

Another $1 million is earmarked to help spruce up the area around Van Nuys City Hall. Although far short of the money needed to turn the neighborhood around, the $1 million at least gets a few improvements started while the community waits for planned construction of a new municipal office building and for repairs to earthquake-damaged Van Nuys City Hall.

Still more money is set aside to expand library hours in some locations as much as 50%. And new libraries are scheduled to be built in Panorama City and Studio City. Parks in Lake View Terrace, Studio City, Encino and Winnetka will get new staff. And a variety of cultural groups in the Valley will get small grants.

In a $2.7-billion budget, the Valley’s take may not seem substantial. But add it to the money spent here for police and fire protection, for street maintenance and trash collection, for park upkeep and cultural programs and the Valley gets a pretty fair deal. Better by far than the cuts of recent years. Too many grouse that the Valley doesn’t get its fair share from downtown--and often it’s true--but this year’s spending plan highlights how much the Valley really does receive. All of it should stay put.