Fluoride costs are hot issue

Higher-than-expected fluoride costs could return the controversial issue to the ballot.

In an attempt to bring "fiscal responsibility" to the initiative process, Rep. Michael Morley, R-Spanish Fork, wants to force any organization that gets fluoridation of water onto a ballot to also provide comprehensive, accurate cost information to voters.

To ensure that accuracy, he has sponsored HB181, which would require another vote if the actual costs of fluoride implementation exceeded the estimates by more than 25 percent. The requirement would not apply to any fluoride vote taken before 2004, meaning that unless Salt Lake or Davis counties vote again, they will not have to stay under the threshold.

"They need to have full disclosure at the time of the vote, so that the people making the decision can make an informed decision," Morley said.

The bill, which passed the House Government Operations Committee 7- 2 Thursday, is not intended to be anti-fluoride, Morley said. Instead, he wants to provide a process for accuracy in all ballot initiatives, and simply chose fluoride as a test case because of the current disputes about the costs.

"I intended this to be a truth-in-advertising bill for initiatives," he said.

Cost of fluoridating water has been a major issue in Davis County, where multiple cities have balked at implementation because of spiraling bills for the additive.

In Davis County, however, the excessive costs are only questionably connected to actual implementation, said David Irvine, legal counsel for Utahns for Better Dental Health. For instance, some cities have required that all buildings housing fluoride equipment be built with ornamental stone instead of cinder block, and then included the extra construction costs as part of the fluoride implementation.

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