Follow the money($) : An examination of the money and special interests behind the proposed fluoridation scheme in Bellingham, Washington. Initial form filed with Washington Public Disclosure of Fluoride Proponents (Click for full image)   Who is running the Fluoridation campaign?  Where are they operating the campaign from?  Where did they get their money for paid signature gatherers? As the Bellingham Weekly found in their investigation:  Oddly, most of the money and interest backing these “Bellingham Families” originates out of Seattle."           - Bellingham Weekly 6/2/2005 We agree. As the records from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission reveal on the initial campaign filing, three of the four positions in the Fluoride campaign give a Seattle address.  Below are the parties running the pro-fluoride initiative as reflected by the PDC documents:        Campaign manager: David Hemion located at 1001 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98154         Committee Officer: David Hemion located at 1001 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98154         Treasurer: David Hemion located at 1001 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98154 As a token Bellingham connection, a single Bellingham resident is listed a "co-chair." If there is any lingering question as to who is running the pro-Fluoride campaign, the initial PDC filing indicates that the campaign books are located at 1001 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98154. The Bellingham Weekly outed the cynical attempt to mask the Seattle based Fluoridation effort from Seattle as coming from Bellingham when the Weekly reported on 6/2/2005: The drive is sponsored by a group called Bellingham Families for Fluoride, which has filed documents with the city to begin collecting signatures to put the question on November’s ballot. Oddly, most of the money and interest backing these “Bellingham Families” originates out of Seattle."  Thus, the Fluoride proponents seek not only to dictate what (ill advised) medication Bellingham residents ingest, but to dominate the political process 90 miles away as well. Financing Update (10/3/2005): With the fluoridation initiative apparently failing to gather local support, the fluoride proponents have now raised over $150,000 for a large media campaign (See PDC), more than any candidate or group has raised to spend on any issue in the history of Bellingham. Financial Upate (11/4/2005) by Whatcom Independent Newspaper:  "My Jaw has been slack over the amount of money pouring into town to promote our use of fluoride.  It may exceed $300,000 from Seattle and out-of-state sources - which is nearly $10 per voting citizen in Bellingham, and is perhaps $20 to buy every "Yes" vote." Whatcom Independent 11/4/2005. PDC showing $50,000 payment for Fluoride initiative from Seattle Who provided the funding for the Fluoride proposal? The Fluoride initiative is funded almost entirely from Seattle.  As of reports filed before 6/30/2005, $50,000 of the $50,300 for the initiative was paid for from a Seattle source in a single payment.  As of June 30th, only 2 payments totaling a measly $300 came from Bellingham. Thus, the assertion that Bellingham residents are financially supporting the Fluoride proposal in any significant way is false. Yet, it is Bellingham residents alone who will be left to live with the consequences of dental fluorosis and other health maladies as well as a $140,000 yearly tax on their water bill. $5000 payment made on 5/16/2005 Who conducted the Fluoride signature gathering in Bellingham? The signatures were obtained from a paid signature gathering company out of El Sagundo, California called PCI Consultants.  They were paid $5000 on 5/16/2005 on this day alone for their efforts in Bellingham.  Please read and review the PDC document yourself.  Update: 8/11/2005, the fluoridationist pay $5880.00 for a Sacramento consultant service : Paul Kinney Productions.   (Prepare for a $5880 "production" on why Bellingham residents should not be able to determine their own medication for themselves).  This payment is in addition to the $5090.97 payment to the same "production" company on 5/12/2005.  Update : 10/12/2005 : With local support for fluoridation failing, Seattle fluoridationists write a $59,000 check to California political consultanting company "Paul Kinney Production," apparently for a media buy to convince Bellingham residents that placing fluorosilic acid in the water supply has "grass roots" support.  Update : 11/1/2005 : With the fluoride proposition failing in Bellingham, fluoridation proponents respond by spending $258.493.03 to attempt to force the matter setting an all time record for special interest influence in Bellingham.  Question : Could the political influence and attempted control from outside Bellingham be any more blatent? In June, yet another check from Seattle arrives in the amount of $19,000 on 6/15/2005 in order to attempt to force Fluoride on Bellingham residents. From the documents filed with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, one can conclude: 1) The campaign to forcibly place Fluorosilic Acid "Fluoride" in Bellingham's drinking water was initiated and is being conducted from Seattle where the campaign books are located. 2) Over 99 percent of the money involved in the paid signature gathering came from Seattle with less than one percent coming from Bellingham. 3) The signature gathering in Bellingham was not a grass roots effort.  The signature gatherers were employed from a company based in El Segundo, California with the name of PCI Consultants and were paid at least $5000 for this effort. Thus, the cynical label the signature gatherers and Seattle interests have used of "Bellingham Families for Fluoride" is false in every discernible way. Never before in Bellingham's history has such a highly financed out city special interest tried to impose their will on Bellingham residents.  Bellingham residents should be able to make their own decisions about their drinking water supply. They are going to be the ones that will have live with the decisions made concerning the water quality, not the paid signature gatherers or other paid consultants from California. The actions of the Fluoride proponents should be disturbing to Bellingham residents as people generally believe that they should be able to make the choices concerning Bellingham's future, not a California or Seattle special interest group.  Yes, people outside the city have given to Bellingham candidates and initiatives before.  However, no initiative in memory has been financed so overwhelmingly from outside the city. The Fluoride proponents have proven nothing by their actions other than proving that with enough outside money, a place on the ballot can be purchased with the use of paid signature gatherers.  Their actions may be technically legal but many believe they are not ethical. The actions of the pro-Fluoride campaign have been very questionable as pointed out by Bellingham Public Works Director Dick McKinley in response to a survey conducted by the campaign (as reported by the Bellingham Weekly):        Back in April, the Subdued City was the subject of a survey to        gauge people’s attitudes about adding fluoride to city drinking water . . .        While pollsters actually contracted with the Washington State Dental        Association, some claimed to represent Bellingham Public Works . . .        “They are not doing a survey on behalf of Public Works in any        way, shape or form,” Public Works Director Dick McKinley        assured the Herald at the time. “I consider it fraudulent. I consider it gross.”          Bellingham Weekly 6/2/2005 Bellingham Public Works Director Dick McKinley's candor concerning the Fluoridationists is appreciated and his statement stands on it's own. Citizens against Bellingham Fluoride Initiative