Good afternoon, Mayor Wynn and Councilmembers..  An interesting news item caught my eye  recently.  It seems an Oak Ridge, Tennessee researcher has developed a new forensic diagnostic tool worthy of CSI or Bones.  The technology, which its inventor describes as a “crude sniffer,“ works by detecting fluorinated hydrocarbons stored in the bones of people who drink fluoridated urban water.  He explained that that was a good way to tell the difference between human bones and those of wild animals.

                                 

He was in the Mojave Desert this past spring, helping California police search for previously undiscovered victims of the murderous Charles Manson Family--from way back in 1969.   It was a scene straight out of Cold Case--and it was real.  Here’s something to think about:  forty years ago, most people would have been consuming artificially fluoridated water for a relatively short time. Yet the accumulation is enough to be a marker four decades later.  Now imagine what a lifetime—say 65 years—of constant fluoride ingestion might do to your bones.  You don’t hear the American Dental Association talking much about that.

Another thing you don’t hear the ADA talk about is how overdosed on fluoride most of us already are from other sources--especially our food.  Why?  Because fluoride is a main component of pesticides, which leave a residue on food crops.  Fruits, fruit juices, and cereal grains are particularly high.in fluoride content.  So serious is the situation that Scientific American covered it in depth in their January 2008 issue. The last thing we need is more fluoride in our diets through water fluoridation. 

On another subject:.  Because of the $30 million shortfall forecast for Austin’s 2010 budget, the City has scheduled some Budget Town Hall Meetings to solicit citizen input.  I wish our input had been asked before the renegotiation of the current Lucier contract, which will soon bring the cost of fluoridation chemicals alone to near $1 million a year -- a cost that can only increase.  Anyway, these budget events should be eye-openers.  They’re set for next Monday the 15th and Tuesday the 16th, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center (1201 E. Rundberg) and the Toney Burger Activity Center (3200 Jones Rd.) respectively.  I urge everyone to attend.  Thank you.