The fluoride debate is making waves across Florida, but Temple Terrace isn’t ready to dive in just yet.
At the March 18 City Council meeting, council member Alison Fernandez suggested the city take up the issue of banning fluoride from its drinking water, echoing concerns raised by a handful of public speakers earlier in the evening.
“I do agree with the comments that were raised earlier,” Fernandez said. “And my personal opinion is, I would like this city to discontinue using it. … I have read a lot of information and spoken to a lot of people about it, and I do personally believe that it is offering no benefit, and there can only be a downside.”
Only one of the five speakers identified themselves as a Temple Terrace resident. The others said they lived in Hillsborough County.
Water fluoridation has become a hot topic since Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo recommended against the practice last year, citing potential negative effects on children’s IQs and behavior.
Gov. Ron DeSantis supports eliminating fluoride from drinking water, and several Florida municipalities — most recently Winter Haven and Lee County — have dropped the practice.
Hillsborough County voted last month to keep fluoride in drinking water, for now, after a 3-3 deadlock on a removal motion by Josh Wostal.
However, the Temple Terrace City Council declined to take Fernandez up on her suggestion that it get involved in the debate. Two key reasons stood out: Mayor Andy Ross was out of town and not at the meeting, and council members preferred to wait on the state’s decision before engaging in what could be an unnecessary exercise.
“Both the House and the Senate have bills there. I would like this body to wait until we see what they do,” said council member James Chambers. “If they require us to take it out, then we don’t have to deal with it. And if that fails up there, then we can certainly hear it here.”
The bills in question — HB 651 and SB 700 — do not mention fluoride specifically, but both call for banning the use of any additives in the water for “health-related purposes.”
Co-sponsor Rep. Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid, has confirmed fluoride would fall under this ban, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
At the Temple Terrace meeting, speakers against fluoride cited potential links to brain damage and Alzheimer’s, in addition to decreased IQ among children. However, many health experts, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, support fluoridation, and credit it with reducing cavities and ranking it among the 20th centuries’ top public health achievements.
Health experts argue that it is safe provided the exposure is no greater than 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, which is the national standard.
The fluoride debate received a boost in September when U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review new research on fluoride’s potential role in lowering children’s IQ.
Florida has been one of the most aggressive in seeking fluoride’s removal from drinking water.
Carlos Baia, the city manager, said it was his opinion the state would likely implement a ban.
“I would imagine that that bill will pass, and that provision would pass just based on the majority of the House,” he said. “This argument is very passionate for people, but it also takes a political turn as well, as I think we all can acknowledge. So based on the majorities in the Legislature, I would assume it’s going to pass.”
Fernandez, however, pushed for the city not to wait on what happens in the state.
“We control our own water. My personal opinion, I don’t care to wait for the state to make a decision,” she said. “We are in charge. We are the body that answers to the people locally. So, I would rather do what our citizens would like, so that’s why I’m asking if this council would be interested in putting this topic on the agenda so that we can have people speak to both sides of the issue.”
Her colleagues indicated they would rather wait on the state’s decision.
“Let’s take a wait-and-see attitude for a little while longer,” said Vice Mayor Gil Schisler. “The state looks like it’s going to pass (something), and any chance they get, they take home rule away. So that’s one I wouldn’t mind bounce passing back to them.”
Original article online at: https://www.tampabeacon.com/news/temple-terrace-willing-to-wait-on-state-to-settle-fluoride-debate/article_f5777645-6b8c-4d46-8656-5949b9ea89d2.html