Safeguarding Your Health-Ending Water Fluoridation and blanket insecticide fogging

As a candidate for mayor, my top priority is the health and well-being of Fort Collins residents. I believe in empowering individuals to make their own choices, not letting government impose potentially harmful substances on our community. That's why two of my key mandates will be to immediately end the city's West Nile Virus (WNV) spraying program and remove all fluoride from our drinking water. These actions will protect our families from unnecessary chemical exposure, reduce wasteful spending, and position Fort Collins as a leader in natural, resident-focused health policies. By championing less government intervention, we'll foster a healthier, freer city.

Ending the West Nile Virus Spraying Program: A Bigger Threat Than the Virus Itself

Fort Collins has contracted with Vector Disease Control International (VDCI) since 2018 to conduct blanket mosquito spraying, costing taxpayers at least $400,000 annually from emergency funds.[1] This program, ongoing since 2003, uses truck-mounted foggers to disperse PERM-X 30-30 ULV Solution—a permethrin-based insecticide with piperonyl butoxide (PBO)—across large swaths of the city. In 2025 alone, the city sprayed seven times by August, blanketing neighborhoods without clear evidence of public health benefits.[2]

The myth that PERM-X 30-30 is harmless is debunked by its own label and scientific studies. It's highly toxic to bees, butterflies, pollinators, fish, and aquatic invertebrates, and prenatal PBO exposure can cause craniofacial malformations or neurodevelopmental abnormalities.[3][4] Industry experts admit no long-term studies exist on the permethrin-PBO combination, relying on short-term mouse tests that ignore synergistic effects.[5] The EPA classifies permethrin as "likely carcinogenic to humans," with risks of neurotoxicity (tremors, hyperactivity), reproductive issues, and chronic organ damage from low-dose exposure.[6] It persists in soil (half-life 39.5 days, up to 113 days), water (up to a year in sediments), and air (drifting farther at our 5,000-foot altitude), leading to runoff contamination and bioaccumulation.[7][8]

Meanwhile, WNV itself poses a minimal threat. In Colorado, with over 5 million residents, only three deaths occurred in 2025—primarily affecting the elderly and severely immunocompromised.[9] Nationally, an average of 121 people die annually from WNV (1999-2024), with most infections asymptomatic.[10] Compare this to far greater risks: 500 times more likely to die from cancer, or twice as many veteran suicides this year alone than all U.S. WNV deaths in history.[11] VDCI's literature even acknowledges mosquito resistance as their biggest challenge, suggesting more spraying or switching chemicals—escalating risks for profit.[12] This corporate-driven program, tied to Rentokil Initial's $6.82 billion revenue empire, exploits fear rather than addressing root causes like education and personal prevention.[13]

Spraying creates a bigger public health crisis than WNV by poisoning our environment and residents. As mayor, I'll introduce an emergency ordinance to halt all spraying immediately, redirecting funds to non-toxic alternatives like public education and free repellents for at-risk individuals.

Removing Fluoride from Our Water: Empowering Personal Choice for the Purest Water in America

Fort Collins Utilities adds hydrofluorosilicic acid—a silicofluoride chemical derived from fertilizer industry byproducts—to our drinking water, maintaining concentrations of 0.60-0.75 mg/L (near the CDC's 0.7 mg/L recommendation) for purported dental health benefits.[14][15] This practice, in place for decades, affects every resident without opt-out options.

While proponents claim it reduces cavities, hydrofluorosilicic acid raises serious concerns. It's not naturally occurring fluoride but an industrial compound that can contain trace contaminants like arsenic, linked to lung and bladder cancer risks.[16] Studies suggest potential health effects including thyroid disruption, lowered IQ in children from prenatal exposure, and skeletal fluorosis in high doses.[17][18] Even at low levels, it may contribute to endocrine issues and bone cancer, with no proven benefits for all demographics like the elderly or those with good oral hygiene.[19]

More importantly, fluoridation violates personal choice—it's mass medication without consent, forcing a chemical into our bodies via a public utility. Why should government decide what's "best" for us when individuals can choose fluoride toothpaste or supplements? Removing it aligns with conservative values of limited government and individual freedom. Cities like Portland, OR, and Fairbanks, AK, have opted out, reporting no dental health crises.[20]

As mayor, I'll champion phasing out fluoride entirely, investing in advanced filtration to deliver the purest, healthiest water in America—free from additives and focused on natural quality. This will save costs (fluoridation equipment and chemicals run thousands annually) and empower residents to control their health.

My Plan: Bold Action for a Healthier Fort Collins

On day one, I'll push for ordinances to end WNV spraying and defluoridate our water, reallocating savings to community health initiatives like green spaces and wellness education. These steps will reduce chemical burdens, cut wasteful spending, and restore trust in government by prioritizing freedom over fear. Fort Collins deserves courageous leadership—join me in making our city a model of natural health.

References

[1] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). Background. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 2.

[2] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). August 17th, Sunday night- City Sprayed for SIXTH time this summer! Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 3.

[3] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). MYTH: PERM X 30 30 IS HARMLESS TO HUMANS. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 4.

[4] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). Perm X 30 30 label. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 5.

[5] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). MYTH: PERM X 30 30 IS HARMLESS TO HUMANS. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 4.

[6] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). MYTH: PERM X 30 30 QUICKLY DISSIPATES AND LEAVES NO RESIDUALS. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 6.

[7] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). Permethrin does not disappear instantly in the air. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 7.

[8] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). References for Perm X ULV persistence in our environment. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 8.

[9] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). FAKE EMERGENCY. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 13.

[10] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). MYTH: West Nile Virus is a Public Health Crisis. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 12.

[11] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). COMPARE WNV DEATHS TO OTHER COMMON/LESS COMMON CAUSES. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 14.

[12] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). VDCI’s own literature admits that mosquitoes become increasingly resistant. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 11.

[13] Protecting Our Community: Rethinking Mosquito Spraying in Fort Collins. (2025). Vector Disease Control International (VDCI) is a subsidiary of Rentokil Initial. Dangers of Fort Collins WNV Program.pdf, p. 22.

[14] City of Fort Collins. (2024). 2024 Water Quality Report. Retrieved from https://www.fcgov.com/WaterQualityReport

[15] City of Fort Collins. (n.d.). Drinking Water Fluoridation. Retrieved from https://www.fcgov.com/utilities/what-we-do/water/water-treatment/treated-drinking-water/drinking-water-fluoridation

[16] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2013). Use of Hydrofluosilicic Acid in Drinking Water Systems in the United States. Retrieved from https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/sites/static/files/documents/tsca_21_petition_hfsa_2013-04-22.pdf

[17] Peckham, S., & Awofeso, N. (2014). Water fluoridation: A critical review of the physiological effects of ingested fluoride as a public health intervention. The Scientific World Journal, 2014, 293019. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/293019

[18] Bashash, M., Thomas, D., Hu, H., Angeles Martinez-Mier, E., Sanchez, B. N., Basu, N., Peterson, K. E., Ettinger, A. S., Wright, R., Zhang, Z., Liu, Y., Schnaas, L., Mercado-García, A., Téllez-Rojo, M. M., & Hernández-Avila, M. (2017). Prenatal fluoride exposure and cognitive outcomes in children at 4 and 6–12 years of age in Mexico. Environmental Health Perspectives, 125(9), 097017. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP655

[19] Iheozor-Ejiofor, Z., Worthington, H. V., Walsh, T., O'Malley, L., Clarkson, J. E., Macey, R., Alam, R., Tugwell, P., Welch, V., & Glenny, A. M. (2015). Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (6), CD010856. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD010856.pub2

[20] Fluoride Action Network. (n.d.). 50 Reasons to Oppose Fluoridation. Retrieved from https://fluoridealert.org/content/50-reasons/