Not in My Backyard

Mike Murray with his family

I have been called many things, “NIMBY” being one of them. This term, meaning “Not In My Backyard” is usually used as an insult. The person saying it is inferring that you object to something unpleasant or hazardous where you live. It often has the caveat that you do not object to similar actions in places outside the direct area where you live.

But is being a NIMBY really a bad thing? When I set out to run for County Supervisor, I knew I would run into big money players trying to fundamentally alter Placer County with little regard for the public interests. I see my opponents’ touting endorsements and money from people including Labor Unions and Building PACs and fully understand the fight I am in. This is the fight for our backyard.

But it doesn’t end with excessive building that creates traffic nightmares (which in turn can only be solved by additional fees and taxes). This extends to our quality of life in Placer County. For example, California policies have created the worst homeless rate in the United States, despite spending the most money to “fix” the problem. Should Placer County take on the burden of fixing a California problem by destroying our safety and quality of life? 

As many of the current supervisors who are endorsing my opponents have shown, there is little respect for our quality of life on the subject of homelessness. In 2020, a County-funded organization purchased homes throughout the county, including one in Rocklin’s Yankee Hill Estates. These actions came under fire in the Sacramento Bee by the neighbors who are negatively affected by this home. They complained about the Marijuana stink coming from this 6-bedroom mansion and the Neighbors recalled “a guy with a knife or machete” hitting a tree in this quiet neighborhood.

This is a family neighborhood where children were able to roam the streets freely. These types of assaults on our families, our community, and our quality of life need to stop. Another proposal was a forty-five-acre magnet campus for homelessness in Rocklin. This is also not the answer and again - a direct attack on our quality of life. These types of actions bail out the state lawmakers and their poor decisions at the expense of our community. 

If I am a “NIMBY” for wanting safe streets for my children to grow up on, so be it. I am willing to fight for our Placer County community. My fight is similar to 2016 when now Assemblyman Joe Patterson ran for Rocklin City Council. Patterson ran in part because the city was attempting to put a full-blown Mental Hospital near Whitney High School. 

Patterson won the seat and pushed the incumbent councilman out of office. Coincidentally, that councilman who lost the seat is now running for County Supervisor in my race, backed by a number of unions, electeds, and PACs that don’t have our community’s best interest at heart. Joe went on to be a voice for the people on the city council and was later elected to represent us in the Assembly in 2022.

Assemblyman Joe Patterson has endorsed me because he knows I will always fight for my community, no matter what term they call me. Moving here in the early 90’s as a young child, I have respect for our community and want to preserve our slice of heaven in this messed up state. I don’t think we need low-income housing in Penryn, nor do we need to purchase 6-bedroom mansions on the border of Rocklin and Loomis for homeless people. We don’t need a forty-five-acre homeless magnet in Rocklin, nor do we need a Mental Hospital near Whitney High School. We don’t need to build out every inch of open space because financial backers say so, and we don’t need to create additional burdens on our infrastructure due to overgrowth. We need to put the focus on our community and our quality of life. It’s time to protect our backyard—it’s worth fighting for.

I am Mike Murray, this is my home, and I am running for Supervisor to give my kids the quality of life and opportunities I had growing up here. I will not be influenced by money, unions, or PACs. Nor will I cave when called names like NIMBY. I am here to fight for our community, for our families, for our businesses, and the future of Placer County. I’m done watching family and friends leave the state. Help me fight locally to keep our friends, families, and businesses right here in our backyard.

For more information go to VoteMikeMurray.com or email me at Mike@VoteMikeMurray.com.