Sunday, January 19, 2003 Park station   With a $90 million deficit staring us in the face (according to the editorial "The real budget work," Jan. 13), it seems ridiculous for the city to even consider building the $15 million police fortress in Scherer Park. I can understand the police wanting a comfortable and beautiful place to work - with telephones, air conditioning, showers, workout room, etc., but at a time when the city is experiencing a financial crisis, they could make-do with the remodeled temporary facility they have now. A huge walled fortress would not provide the park and neighborhood more law enforcement than frequent patrols would, and other professionals have managed to do a good job in much more adverse conditions: During the five years I taught at Roosevelt Elementary School, my room was a 50-year-old "temporary" bungalow. It had three uninsulated sides and the roof exposed to the sun, so it was often 90 degrees or above. Our "air conditioning" was a fan and a squirt bottle I brought from home. There wasn`t even a drinking fountain. When I asked for insulation or air conditioning I was told it was too expensive - and anyway, it was a "temporary" building. That was in the `70s; I believe that bungalow is still there. Cutting down those 40-plus old trees in Scherer Park to make room for that fortress, and leaving the park without those beautiful shade trees that park visitors and the birds could enjoy just to beat the nesting deadline by Feb. 1 - and then waiting months and maybe years for the money to build that building, as well as clean up the toxic dump "replacement" is unconscionable. It is the hope of many Long Beach citizens that the city will do the responsible thing - save Scherer Park by using less luxurious facilities. Ann Denison Long Beach