MOUNTAIN VIEW: Approves Fluoridation Measure

      Voters in Mountain View Tuesday approved a ballot measure calling for their city's water to be fluoridated. With 100% of precincts reporting, the measure passed 59% to 41%, according to numbers submitted by the California Fluoridation Task Force (release, 11/4). The San Francisco Chronicle reports that most "of San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties' water supplies are fluoridated and about 62% of San Mateo County's is." But fluoridated water is not so widespread in Santa Clara County, where Mountain View "has become a test case for the rest of the county." County Supervisor Joe Simitian, "one of the measure's strongest supporters," said, "Study after study has shown that fluoride is safe, effective and economical. These are tremendously gratifying results." While a 1995 state law requires water districts to fluoridate, it provided no funding for the $35 million to $45 million task. The Chronicle reports that Simitian has proposed that Mountain View, Santa Clara County and the water district share the $1.2 million it will cost to fluoridate the city's water. Opponents to fluoridated water argue it "is risky to public health and that its benefits in fighting tooth decay are limited" (Henneman, 11/4). Jeff Album, spokesperson for Delta Dental Plan of California, said the measure's passage is "significant because it sends a message to the entire Santa Clara County to go ahead with its plans to fluoridate a system serving about 1.5 million people." In addition, he said the county's initiative would "boost statewide attempts to implement the 1995 statewide fluoridation act." So far, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Port Hueneme, Pico Rivera, Yuba City and now Mountain View have made moves to fluoridate their water (release, 11/4). Click fluoridation for previous coverage of this issue.