EDITORIAL : CITY COUNCIL CHOICES.

LAURA Chick has earned re-election to the City Council, based on her performance over the past four years.

The Daily News Editorial Board recommends that voters re-elect her Tuesday in the 3rd Council District in the west San Fernando Valley.

Chick pushed for expansion of the LAPD, a crackdown on teen-age truancy and many other positive things.

Her vulnerability is that she appears to have a better grasp of the political structure downtown at City Hall than she does of the Valley's own political mind-set - particularly as it has been evolving in the past two years or so, for a school district breakup, perhaps the Valley breaking off from Los Angeles, and City Charter reform.

Mort Diamond, Chick's opponent on the ballot, has shown earnestness and drawn the line in support of secession, but he hasn't shown energy or credibility comparable to Chick's.

After this election, we hope Chick will seize the role that's open to her - the crucial task of advancing the interests of her Valley constituents on a new level, so the Valley's point of view gets a better reception from the politicians at City Hall.

Mercer in District 11

IF voters truly want the Tuesday election to make a difference, they will choose Tarzana resident Georgia Mercer in the City Council election in the 11th District.

Mercer is a longtime community activist with a distinguished record of leadership in many programs, from juvenile justice to clean air and from public education to family planning.

Although she has worked as a Valley representative of Mayor Richard Riordan, she isn't part of the entrenched City Hall system that shortchanges residents throughout the city. We believe her first allegiance as a council member would be to the public, not to the political system or the municipal status quo.

This council district stretches from the Valley to the Westside, including much of Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Encino, and parts of Sherman Oaks and Van Nuys. These areas need a representative with broad experience and perspective.

Also running on the ballot is Cindy Miscikowski, longtime deputy to retiring Councilman Marvin Braude. Braude has endorsed Miscikowski.

Miscikowski is a talented and experienced public servant who knows how to get things done in the bureaucracy. But the district isn't calling out for more of the same, it's calling for a shake-up of the system.

Another candidate is Mark Isler, a Van Nuys businessman with a no-nonsense attitude about making local government more effective on all fronts. We agree with Isler on many issues, but his candidacy hasn't generated much fire across the district.

The fourth candidate, Doug Friedman, appears unprepared for the duties of a council member.

Mercer is the most likely to bring actual improvements in the representation of the 11th District, including a better appreciation of the needs of the Valley residents in the district.