As a sponsor of Measure A that will appear on the Nov. 2 ballot, my first reaction in writing this article was to answer every one of the exaggerations and false claims that have been proposed by the so-called “health experts” who endorse the public policy.

But the exaggerations are so unbelievable and the denials of any evidence of adverse effects so absolute, that anyone taken in by those assurances may be shocked by the tremendous amount of contrary information at hand with just a simple Google search.

What you will find includes the Journal of the American Dental Association cover story in July 2000 that clarified for every dentist that the swallowing of fluoride presents no significant benefit, that if there is a benefit it would be from applying it to the surface of the tooth; or the CDC’s famous 2001 declaration that fluoridation was one of the top 10 achievements of the 20th century, but on page 4 of the same report CDC declares there is no correlation between fluoride incorporated in the enamel of teeth due to ingestion and the incidence of tooth decay.

When it comes to Crescent City Council politics, a lot has changed in two years.

In 2008, nine candidates were seeking three seats on the Council. The Triplicate found it impossible to endorse any of the incumbents who had been presiding over a financial mess at City Hall. The city had suspended discretionary spending because it didn’t know how much money it had. And it had thrown away about $160,000 in failed attempts to balance its books.

Fast-forward to today when the city has achieved a modicum of financial stability in spite of the hard economic times. At the very least, the financial books are in much better order. Basic services are being provided, some money is being directed toward the Visitors Bureau as an investment in our tourism-based future, the city is cooperating with the harbor and we’re on the verge of an acceptable conclusion to a bitter period of dissent with the completion of the sewage treatment plant expansion.

First and foremost I wish to thank all of the stakeholders for their time and emotional investment sitting at the Marine Protected Area table. Also, I am grateful to all you who helped to produce a single MPA array for our North Coast. No other study area has been able to do this. It is quite an achievement.

Now we must face the Science Advisory Team, the Blue Ribbon Task Force, and the Fish and Game Commission with united support for this proposal. 

Everyone who cares about access to your renewable ocean resource can help. The Science and Advisory Team is meeting Wednesday starting at 1 p.m. and Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Red Lion in Eureka. Public comment starts at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and should be available at the Flynn building here in town.