Skip to main content
On May 21, Ballot Initative 26-151, the Portland measure that would have required the fluoridation of the city's drinking water, was soundly defeated by voters—and former City Commissioner Mike Lindberg turned out to celebrate.
"It's really a reflection of the way that Portlanders treasure our Bull Run water," said Lindberg, the only major political figure the anti-fluoridation campaign had on its side. "Portlanders have a special connection with nature, let's put it that way."
But Lindberg also told WW he was talking to people on both sides of the fluoride fight about finding ways to protect children's dental health without water fluoridation. The options, he said, included launching a soda tax to pay for free dental clinics.
Today, those conversations became formal and public.
Portland City Club announced this morning it's starting a Children's Dental Health Task Force to find another way to protect kids' teeth. Lindberg, along with anti-fluoridation donor Daniel Deutsch and fluoride backer Jesse Beason of NW Health Foundation, will pick a panel of six: three fluoride supporters and three opponents.
Are you a fluoride supporter? Are you a fluoride opponent? The City Club press release notes that you can be on the task force:
WWeek 2015