The Pew Charitable Trust and the Kansas Taxpayers Network were the biggest financial backers in a November vote on whether the city of Wichita, KS, would adopt water fluoridation, according to a story in the Wichita Eagle.
Wichitans For Healthy Teeth, which raised nearly $170,000 to promote the fluoridation of Wichita drinking water, was the largest contributor to the campaign. Pew Charitable Trusts contributed $68,000 in cash to the campaign and listed $35,000 worth of in-kind contributions in the form of Internet ads, according to campaign finance reports filed with the county election commissioner's office.
The only report filed on behalf of an antifluoride group came from Wichitans for Pure Water, which listed $92,040 in contributions, all of which came from the Kansas Taxpayers Network.
The fluoride measure was defeated November 6 when nearly 60% of Wichita voters voted against water fluoridation.
