I want to thank you for the opportunity to hear my views about Lake Okeechobee and water quality for the state of Florida after Joe Gruters and Katherine Norman had their chance to give their views.

Back in 2014 I ran for Florida State Representative, and water quality for the state of Florida was the main issue.

Just to refresh everyone’s memory about water quality, the Florida House moved the waters in the Everglades first before it passed in the Senate. This is when the debacle of red tide algae blooms affected not only the Gulf of Mexico for District 23, but for the whole state of Florida. Because of this, the sugar cane crops at the Florida Keys were destroyed and we, the people, are still paying taxes for the cleanup. This caused Lake Okeechobee’s Dam to have green algae turmoil pumping out of the dam, which caused the debacle to look like green split— pea soup, having a reverse osmosis debacle from the Gulf of Mexico via the Lake Okeechobee Dam. Back in 2014 I told state legislature to fix the Dam first. Nothing was done for three years and monies started to funnel to fix the Dam via Federal Government. Now, your state senator is trying to fine polluters causing raw sewage spills for the state of Florida.

My question is: Do Florida taxpayers have to pay taxes for the polluters making matters worse? Also, I want to know where the monies are, for example , quotation ’a two-dollar fee and a slap on the wrist.’  I am concerned when we have a Hurricane like Hurricane Delta that hit Lake Charles, the same debacle could happen for the state of Florida. The people, for the state of Florida, deserve an answer about high sea levels that will expose Lake Okeechobee when the Army of Engineers start releasing the waters out of the Dam. Because of this situation, small businesses and all people’s health will be in danger. If we do not have homeostasis because of water quality and COVID-19, I fear our water quality will be in serious danger. Florida needs more help to fix this situation.

Robert Samuel Kaplan is a candidate for State Senate District 23 running without party affiliation.