"For you people in Rio Linda"

The following are excerpts from a Rush Limbaugh radio show on June 15, 2007.

Caller: ...The point of my call is, for the  last 4 ½ years, including today, you've had me incredibly confused on your Rio Linda comments. I was hoping you could give me a history on that.

Rush: Yes, I'd be happy to. ..... When I moved to Sacramento in 1984, I was driving around town because I wanted to get familiar with and be familiar with the place I was now living and working. I'm driving around and I came to this place called Rio Linda. You know, they had a city sign but no indication of who lived there, no population numbers. I have never seen that before. I've always seen population numbers on the sign of a city.

So I drove through this place, and it was like going to the Twilight Zone. On the main drag, there were cars on concrete blocks in front yards, washing machines and dryers and wash boards on the porch, and I said, "Whoa! This is a depressed area, and it needs my help."  So one of the bits that I did when I went on the air was offer to move there if they would change the name to "Limbaugh, California" and by just moving there, I would increase property values. Of course the idea was rejected and so forth.

So I decided, "Well, I'm just going to tease these people." Any time I say something I think is remotely, just remotely complicated, I will try to translate it for Rio Lindans so they can understand it.

 The Rio Linda population and I have a great, great, great relationship. It has put them on the map; they're very good spirited about it. But it's just a little town, not far from Sacramento. They don't like being called a suburb, and frankly, Sacramento wouldn't like people to think Rio Linda is a suburb of Sacramento. It's sort of its own little pocket there. It's amazing.

Post Script from the Rio Lindans: Rush is right on point with his comments. Yes, the city sign still does not have population numbers but Rush overlooked a small fact that the reason that we do not have population numbers is because Rio Linda Elverta is not a city or a town but part of the "uncity", a huge unincorporated area of Sacramento County. We are a mere flyspeck on the county's map, but we are trying to change that. We do enjoy the attention that Rush has given us and we do not want to be part of Sacramento. As he says, it is an amazing place but it is being threatened. Our rural life style will be lost if we cannot incorporate our town and control our future. Further, how can we get numbers on our sign if we do not incorporate? This is where help is needed from Rush, his audience and our community. 

Post Post Script: Rush Limbaugh has not taken a position, either for or against, the incorporation of Rio Linda Elverta.