HEALDSBURG: COURT RULES THAT CITY ERRED ON FLUORIDE BALLOT MEASURE LANGUAGE from FAN

HEALDSBURG: COURT RULES THAT CITY ERRED ON FLUORIDE BALLOT MEASURE LANGUAGE
Source: Sonoma West Times & News | August 31st, 2016 | By Ray Holley, Managing Editor
Location: United States, California
An attempt by the city of Healdsburg to alter the suggested language of an anti-fluoride ballot measure has been spurned by a Sonoma County judge.

Fluoride opponnents, led by former Rohnert Park City Council member Dawna Gallagher, collected enough signatures to place a measure on the November ballot requiring the city to get written documentation from the manufacturers of its fluoride additive that the chemical is safe, or stop adding it to city water.

The city argued that the requirement is misleading and would be impossible to enforce and at the urging of City Attorney Robin Donoghue, changed the ballot measure wording to read simply: “Shall the City of Healdsburg stop fluoridating its water supply?”

Gallagher and Healdsburg resident Brian Pardini filed suit, demanding that the ballot language match the language of the petition Healdsburg voters signed, and last week the courts agreed.

The new wording for the ballot measure will be: “Shall the City of Healdsburg institute a moratorium
on water fluoridation in the city until such time as the manufacturer of the fluoridating chemical provides information regarding the identification of any contaminants in the fluoridating chemical batch, and a toxicological report and verification of safety for the fluoridating chemical?”