The headline could almost be from 1961 or from 2011. The Rossmoor-Los Al annexation discussion has been going on for a long time. Here are some articles from the 1981 version of the dialog.
Orange County Register, May 31, 1981 (page C2)
Los Alamitos Drops Plan to Annex Rossmoor
by Rod Speer
Register Staff Writer
LOS ALAMITOS— The Los Alamitos City Council has eliminated any immediate possibility of unincorporated Rossmoor being annexed.
Council members Monday voted unanimously not to attempt to have Rossmoor included in the city’s “sphere of influence,” which would have been a formal preliminary step towards annexation.
The council’s action means both affected parties in the long discussed annexation have gone on record opposing such a merger.
Rossmoor is a walled community of some 3,700 upper middle-class homes, which is bordered by Los Alamitos, Seal Beach and the 605 Freeway. It receives most of its governmental services from the county, including police protection and maintenance of its parks and streets.
In a survey this spring, about two thirds of 428 responding residents indicated they were satisfied with the services they get from the county, said Sean (Kevin?) Boylan, Presidentn of the Rossmoor Hmeowners Association. He said about the same number said they would be concerned that Rossmoor would lose its identity through an anexation by Los Alamitos.
Mike Graziano, Los Alamitos City Manager, said in a recent interview that with the property tax restrictions of Proposition 13 , the city would likely be faced with more expenses than additional revenue by adding a large number of homes like Rossmoor to its tax rolls.
County officials have said that the Rossmoor area costs almost twice as much to service annually as it currently contributes to county coffers in taxes, and a special tax may be necessary.
Boyland said that according to the Rossmoor survey, most residents would rather pay an extra tax to remain an unincorporated community within the county, rather than consolidate with a municipality.
Ken Scattergood, staff member of the Local Agency Formation Commission, which rules on annexations, said no hearing will be held on a Rossmoor-Los Alamitos annexation as long as those involved express no interest.
The consolidation of the two communities has been considered periodically since Los Alamitos was incorporated in 1959. [ed: actually it goes back to a failed incorporation try in 1956].