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CLOUDY Temp: 58 °F Wind: NW at 5 mph Thursday, June 19, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend May 15, 2003 Fluoride initiative doesn’t float Backers say they collected too few signatures to put their measure on the ballot By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune An initiative that would add fluoride to the Big Butte Springs water system that serves Medford and beyond won’t qualify for the September ballot. Backers of the proposed measure said they have collected about 1,000 signatures, less than a third of the 3,606 verified names they need to put the initiative to a vote. "It’s going kind of slowly, actually," said Lee Murdoch, a Medford pediatrician and member of a small group of dentists, doctors and social workers behind the effort. "But it’s not because of lack of support." Advertisement Murdoch said the measure could make it to the Nov. 4 ballot, but is more likely to qualify in time for a March 2004 election. Deadline for signatures for the November election is June 20, said Medford City Recorder Beverly Sandblast. So far, organizers have gathered signatures only through local doctors’ and dentists’ offices, Murdoch said. The offices are busy and medical personnel don’t want to unduly influence patients’ decisions to sign, he added. Soon, the grass-roots group behind the measure will expand the search for signatures to more public venues, Murdoch said. If the effort succeeds, Medford voters will decide whether to authorize the city’s Water Commission to add fluoride at a rate of .7 parts per million to the Big Butte Springs Water system. The system serves some 100,000 Jackson County customers, including 35,000 outside of Medford. Because the system is owned and maintained by Medford, only Medford residents will vote on the measure. City officials estimate it will cost about $500,000 for equipment and modifications to add fluoride. The average household bill will go up between $5 and $12 annually, depending on costs. Proponents of fluoride, which include most mainstream medical and dental associations, argue that it is a safe, inexpensive, effective way to prevent painful and costly tooth decay in children and, to a lesser extent, adults. Critics of fluoride claim that its safety and efficacy are unproven by current medical and governmental studies and that medications shouldn’t be universally dispensed through the public water system. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times