EDITORIAL : GOOD INTENTIONS.

MAYOR Richard Riordan's plan to use a one-time windfall in state funding to fulfill the city's commitment to build a police station in the Northeast San Fernando Valley is welcome news to an area plagued by gangs and crime.

Even though it is not intended to be permanent, the station will enable officers to better patrol Pacoima, Sylmar and surrounding areas that suffer from the longest police response times in the city. It will also relieve crowding at the Devonshire, Foothill and West Valley stations.

We cannot stress how important the new station would be to Valley residents. Back in 1989, the Valley was promised bond funds to build new stations, but the buildings never materialized because the city squandered the money on other projects. The promise reappeared in this year's unsuccessful $744 million bond measure.

Riordan has finally stepped forward with an action plan that will not stress the pocketbooks of hard-working city residents. He said there is more than $17 million available to complete the Valley station and several other projects, including fixing sidewalks at the Van Nuys Civic Center. Most of the money - $10.8 million - comes from surplus taxes collected by the state; the remaining $6.4 million comes from savings from the 1989 bond.

The projects are worthwhile and prove that with some planning the mayor is willing to devote surplus funds to fill the infrastructure needs in the Valley and ensure the Valley gets its fair share of city resources after so many years of neglect.

We urge the seven City Council members elected from the Valley to come together and present a united front on this issue.

Anything less would betray their lack of understanding that the problems of one area of the Valley affect the quality of life everywhere in the Valley.

Riordan's plan is sensible because it appears to recognize the Valley's need for an additional police station and provides it, however temporarily, with limited funding.

It also is a politically savvy move on Riordan's part, as he tries to appease Valley cityhood activists. He knows this alone won't stop secession, but the more attention City Hall pays to the Valley, the better life will be for Valley residents and less likely the need for municipal divorce becomes.

Still, there is a message for Riordan and those seeking to become Los Angeles' next mayor: the commitment to improve the Valley must be a permanent one. Any deviation will only rile the secessionist feelings.