Spokane fluoride measure advances

The Spokane City Council opened the way Monday night for a water fluoridation initiative to appear on the city ballot this November.

In a 4-3 vote, the council decided to allow voters to decide the fluoride issue in November despite a mistake by fluoride supporters who gathered too few signatures to qualify for this year’s general-election ballot under the city’s charter. The council ordered the city clerk to submit 3,106 signatures to the county auditor for verification; if enough signatures are validated, the measure will be on the November ballot.

Council members Cherie Rodgers, Bob Apple and Mary Verner voted “no.”

“I am very delighted,” said John Robideaux, chairman of Fluoridation Works, the group that submitted the petitions earlier this month.

Robideaux predicted that the petition would be validated with signatures equal to 5 percent of the city vote in last year’s general election.

The timing of the vote fell into doubt when fluoridation supporters learned they needed petitions equal to 15 percent of the vote to qualify for this year’s ballot. They had thought they needed a 5 percent petition to qualify for this year’s ballot, and submitted 3,106 signatures on Aug. 2.

Fluoridation proponents subsequently were told that the 5 percent threshold applies only to initiatives seeking a spot on the municipal general election ballot. Those elections are held in odd-numbered years when nonpartisan city races also appear. The next municipal general election is in 2005, when three council seats are up for election.

Council members had several options in dealing with the petition, but the debate on Monday came down to a question of putting a validated petition on the ballot this year or next year.

“I think they are wise in moving this thing up,” Robideaux said.

Fluoridation opponents sought to delay the vote until 2005, in part because that would conform with the City Charter, but also because new studies on the safety of fluoride are expected by then.

“They went against the charter,” said Jurene Mason, a fluoridation opponent.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Rita Gunstrom, another opponent of the initiative.

Council President Dennis Hession said he initially was against making an exception for the initiative, but decided to vote in favor of an election this fall since it is a presidential election year that will draw maximum voter participation.

“Putting it on the ballot (this fall) is the most important thing we can do for the citizens of Spokane,” Hession said.

Apple said the fluoridation supporters should be required to have the appropriate number of signatures.

“I can’t see bending the rules for anybody,” Apple said.

The petition would need 2,573 signatures of registered city voters to qualify for the ballot under the action taken by the council on Monday.

Both sides appear to be preparing for a lively debate in the coming weeks, with proponents pointing to the oral health benefits for children and opponents questioning the safety and the power of government to add a controversial substance to drinking water. Voters in Spokane rejected fluoridation three times, in 1969, 1984 and 2000. Fluoridation lost narrowly in the 2000 balloting.

It would cost about $2.5 million to install fluoridation in the city’s water system and another $330,000 a year in ongoing costs. Residential ratepayers would see an estimated $12 a year increase for the first three years of fluoridation, and about $4.80 a year after that.

“If the facts are out, I think the voters will make the right decision,” said Angela Petro, a fluoridation opponent.