USA - Watsonville Council to decide on water fluoridation
Watsonville Council to decide on water fluoridation
By DONNA JONES - Sentinel Staff Writer
WATSONVILLE — Watsonville's nearly decadelong fight against water fluoridation could end Tuesday as the City Council votes on whether to accept a $1.6 million grant to build a system.
The decision comes two days before a $200 fine imposed against the city by state public health officials for not fluoridating kicks in.
“If I could name one issue that's most controversial, most divisive, it's fluoride,” said Councilman Manuel Bersamin.
Bersamin's been involved with the issue since he joined the council in 2003, a year after city voters effectively banned fluoridation through an initiative known as Measure S.
He favors fluoridating, which backers say will reduce tooth decay, particularly among the city's many poor children.
But Bersamin said he also tried to uphold the will of the voters, backing the city's battle against a state order to fluoridate all the way to the California Supreme Court. The high court declined to hear the case, letting stand a state appeals court decision that state law took precedence over municipal ordinance.
According to state law, cities with 10,000 or more people must fluoridate if costs are covered by an outside agency. There are no municipal water systems in the county with fluoridated water.
In Watsonville's case, the California Dental Association Foundation is offering money to design and build a fluoridation system and operate it for two years.....
By DONNA JONES - Sentinel Staff Writer
WATSONVILLE — Watsonville's nearly decadelong fight against water fluoridation could end Tuesday as the City Council votes on whether to accept a $1.6 million grant to build a system.
The decision comes two days before a $200 fine imposed against the city by state public health officials for not fluoridating kicks in.
“If I could name one issue that's most controversial, most divisive, it's fluoride,” said Councilman Manuel Bersamin.
Bersamin's been involved with the issue since he joined the council in 2003, a year after city voters effectively banned fluoridation through an initiative known as Measure S.
He favors fluoridating, which backers say will reduce tooth decay, particularly among the city's many poor children.
But Bersamin said he also tried to uphold the will of the voters, backing the city's battle against a state order to fluoridate all the way to the California Supreme Court. The high court declined to hear the case, letting stand a state appeals court decision that state law took precedence over municipal ordinance.
According to state law, cities with 10,000 or more people must fluoridate if costs are covered by an outside agency. There are no municipal water systems in the county with fluoridated water.
In Watsonville's case, the California Dental Association Foundation is offering money to design and build a fluoridation system and operate it for two years.....
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