Question: What do you think about...

Question: What do you think about the effort by Holly Glen, a relatively wealthy Hawthorne neighborhood, to secede and join El Segundo? CAROL MAYER

Realtor, resident of Holly Glen and former president of its homeowners association

People from Holly Glen will say anything except say they are from Hawthorne.

Over the years, the annexation idea has come up several times, [but earlier attempts] never went through the homeowners association. This time, everyone seems to be in favor of it. At the last homeowners meeting, all 140 attendees voted in favor.

Other Hawthorne residents call us the elite and it used to be kind of in fun, but now it has become derogatory. There is some jealousy and resentment from people who don’t have as much, so we figure, “Hey, they don’t want us here, so we might as well leave.” Ourcity is in dire financial straits. They keep raising the tax bills, they are talking about the Fire Department going to the county. There is just a climate of unhappiness and dissatisfaction [in Holly Glen] with the city.

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LARRY GUIDI

Hawthorne mayor

I’m new in politics but am told that this [attempt to secede] happens every three to five years. This is America and anyone can come up with any idea and present it. I’m not going to worry about it until it comes across my table.

It’s Holly Glen’s right, but I don’t think the Hawthorne City Council will take it sitting down. Holly Glen is a very important part of the community. There are only four communities left in Hawthorne that haven’t been destroyed--meaning infested with high-density buildings--and those are the communities that help to keep the city afloat.

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FRANCES STIGLICH

Community activist, resident of north Hawthorne

I think Holly Glen is one of the nicest places there is: They are secluded, have their own library, their own school and their own park. They are a real strong group politically. They are running the city. They’ve got about 1,000 homes there and bring about 2,000 votes.

But I would say, “Go ahead” [with the secession] because they are all so snooty. I have lived here for 49 years. Everything they’ve ever done has been for themselves. They don’t care about us. They never have and they never will. Let El Segundo deal with them. They won’t get half as many things from them that they get from Hawthorne. I say, “Good riddance.”

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LIAM WESTON

El Segundo mayor pro tem

They [Holly Glen residents] did give a presentation to the City Council. But this is not the first time. The problem [with annexing Holly Glen] is that El Segundo’s residential community is a small, contained area. To provide high-quality services within a small community, you cannot take on a new island of people. It would split our police and fire services apart.

I would not be in favor of annexing Holly Glen to the city of El Segundo. My heart goes out to the people of Holly Glen. It is a nice area, community oriented. But I think, geographically, it would be almost impossible for the city of El Segundo to annex Holly Glen.

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DARLENE LOVE

Hawthorne civil service commissioner

I think it would be quite an event. Hawthorne does pick up revenue from [Holly Glen]. It is one of our more affluent areas, so I don’t think it would be the best thing for us. But I don’t think it would kill the city.

Maybe the municipal financial crisis [in Hawthorne] is the reason they want to leave. Maybe they should just state their problem, why they want to be annexed, and we could help them stay in Hawthorne.