DeSantis To Take Control Of Disney’s Orlando District Under New Legislation | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the The Daily Wire. The author of this post is Ryan Saavedra.

    Newly released legislation by Florida Republicans on Monday will allow Governor Ron DeSantis to appoint all five leaders of Disney's tax district in Orlando and will officially rename the district.

    The bill will turn the Reedy Creek Improvement District into the the Central Florida Tourism Oversight and will deliver on DeSantis' promise last year to take over the district.

    DeSantis' office said that the special tax district, which has allowed Disney to govern themselves since 1967, turned the theme park into "an unaccountable Corporate Kingdom."

    "Florida is dissolving the Corporate Kingdom and beginning a new era of accountability and transparency," DeSantis' office said. "These actions ensure a state-controlled district accountable to the people instead of a corporate-controlled kingdom."

    DeSantis' office said that the legislation:

• Permanently eliminates Disney's self-governing status.
• Imposes a state-controlled, term-limited board - with members appointed by the governor - on Disney and its property.
• Allows the state to impose taxes on Disney for possible road projects outside of the District's boundaries.
• Ensures that Disney pays the $700+ million in unsecured debt - not Florida taxpayers.
• Provides no control of the district to the leftist local government in Orange County, which threatened to leverage the situation to raise local taxes.
• Imposes Florida law so that Disney is no longer given preferential treatment.
• Prevents Disney from gaining more land by eminent domain.
• Creates an avenue to compel Disney to contribute to local infrastructure.

    DeSantis' office also released a list of some of the powers that Disney previously had when they governed themselves:

• Full self-governing status with a Disney-selected board.
• The ability to build airports and nuclear facilities.
• Acquisition of property beyond the District's territory by condemnation and eminent domain.
• Unilateral boundary changes.
• No-bid procurements of construction contracts.
• Operating standards that varied from Florida Statute.
• Exemptions from regulatory reviews and approvals that other companies must navigate.

    Jeff Vahle, President, Walt Disney World Resort, said in a statement that the company was closely watching the legislation.

    "We are monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District," he said. "Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year."

poll#168

In the most recent Midterms Election, the "Republican Red Wave" turned out to be a "Republican Red Ripple," which, as in all elections, confounded the political prognosticators of what to expect down the governing /political road: What, and who, do you think is best for this meandering Representative Republic in the near future?

  Because they know how to best allocate the public's money back to the right part of the public, the Democrats will NOW always prevail and get my vote.

  With patriotic pragmatism the cornerstone of the best of the Republican Party, they will ultimately save this Constitutional Republic from self-destruction.

  Since the Executive Branch is so important to turn this Representative Republic around, I am still on Team Trump in 2024.

  Since the nation may need a different path to Conservative patriotism in the Executive, I am joining Team DeSantis.

  Because I am entitled to take the government dole, the prevailing favoritism whenever possible, I will support any, and every Democrat candidate.

377 total vote(s)     What's your Opinion?