USA - Pinellas County Commission stands firm in decision to end fluoridation

From left, Pinellas commissioners Nancy Bostock, John Morroni and Susan Latvala listen to L.D. Sledge of Palm Harbor as he voices opposition to the fluoridation of drinking water

Tuesday.Pinellas County Commission stands firm in decision to end fluoridation
By David DeCamp, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Wednesday, October 12, 2011
CLEARWATER — Pinellas County Commissioner John Morroni thrust himself into a political storm as the swing vote against adding fluoride to drinking water.

He was lampooned as wrong-headed and conspiracy-addled. He was lauded as conservative and brave. A dozen people he knew urged him to reconsider.

But 95 critical e-mails vs. 119 supportive ones over a week failed to change Morroni's mind — leading the commission Tuesday to stick with last week's 4-3 vote to quit adding fluoride to county water by year's end.

"I decided the vote I'd taken was where I was at in my heart," Morroni said, citing unease with "overly intrusive" government and decrying complaints he fell to "conspiracy theories."

Dozens of supporters and opponents pressed the board in tense debate over last week's decision, which brought national attention to Pinellas and reversed a 6-1 vote in 2003. Morroni voted yes then.