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Orlando Sentinel editorial: Vengeful DeSantis stampedes lawmakers to attack Disney
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/editorials/os-op-editorial-reedy-creek-desantis-disney-legislature-20220419-l6o3d2irgncqdoaqojf5ixcdtm-story.html***behind paywall, I am a subscriber*****
It was inevitable that the biggest bully in Florida political history would pick a fight with the state’s biggest brand and its most influential corporation. But few expected it to explode into full-blown public furor as quickly as it did on Tuesday.
Around 9:30 a.m., Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the Legislature to dismantle (a year from now) Disney’s elaborate system of self-government known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, created by the Legislature in 1967 to pave the way for Walt Disney World’s opening in 1971. And Wednesday or Thursday, the deed could be done – with no plan for dissolving the district, including the fate of its $169 million annual budget, its $1.1 billion in debt or its nearly 400 employees (including 231 firefighters).
Let’s be clear: We’ve long been uneasy about the amount of power Disney wields and would welcome a thoughtful analysis of the government functions the company controls and the way Disney benefits from municipal bond deals and home-rule powers. But Tuesday’s action was anything but thoughtful. It was a harried stampede, led by lawmakers who admitted they didn’t know what they were doing.
No, this was an act of pure spite, and few people bothered to pretend otherwise. Disney made the mistake of challenging Florida’s governor by criticizing him, albeit belatedly, over a controversial bill that prevents discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3. Perhaps more infuriating, the corporation indicated it was going to hold off on political contributions to Florida Republicans. As Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, who is sponsoring HB 3C to dissolve the district, blandly intoned: “When you kick the hornet’s nest, sometimes issues arise.”
Around 9:30 a.m., Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered the Legislature to dismantle (a year from now) Disney’s elaborate system of self-government known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, created by the Legislature in 1967 to pave the way for Walt Disney World’s opening in 1971. And Wednesday or Thursday, the deed could be done – with no plan for dissolving the district, including the fate of its $169 million annual budget, its $1.1 billion in debt or its nearly 400 employees (including 231 firefighters).
Let’s be clear: We’ve long been uneasy about the amount of power Disney wields and would welcome a thoughtful analysis of the government functions the company controls and the way Disney benefits from municipal bond deals and home-rule powers. But Tuesday’s action was anything but thoughtful. It was a harried stampede, led by lawmakers who admitted they didn’t know what they were doing.
No, this was an act of pure spite, and few people bothered to pretend otherwise. Disney made the mistake of challenging Florida’s governor by criticizing him, albeit belatedly, over a controversial bill that prevents discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades K-3. Perhaps more infuriating, the corporation indicated it was going to hold off on political contributions to Florida Republicans. As Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, who is sponsoring HB 3C to dissolve the district, blandly intoned: “When you kick the hornet’s nest, sometimes issues arise.”
Related article:
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-orange-disney-catastrophe-demings-20220421-qn7cbxafuzey5nmnaycejxpn2a-story.html
State legislators’ plan to dissolve a special district that has governed Central Florida lands owned by the Walt Disney Co. for over half a century would be “catastrophic” for Orange County’s budget and taxpayers, who’d shoulder the burden of providing public safety and other services for the entertainment giant’s properties, Mayor Jerry Demings said Thursday.
He said Disney foots 100% of the bills for its law enforcement services, provided through a contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office; Reedy Creek Fire Services, which delivers fire-rescue protection from a station in Lake Buena Vista; and its 911 call center.
“If that district goes away and they no longer pay for those public safety costs, then it has to fall to the county’s budgets. That’s a net sum loss for the rest of the taxpayers of Orange County,” Demings said at a press briefing at Full Sail University. where he stumped for a sales tax increase for transportation. “It will put an undue burden on the rest of the taxpayers in Orange County to fill that gap.”
He said the measure, introduced by Republican lawmakers, was “obvious... political retribution at play.” The House voted 70-38 Thursday to end Reedy Creek and five other special districts created before 1968, the bill’s threshold for areas to be considered for dissolution.
He said Disney foots 100% of the bills for its law enforcement services, provided through a contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office; Reedy Creek Fire Services, which delivers fire-rescue protection from a station in Lake Buena Vista; and its 911 call center.
“If that district goes away and they no longer pay for those public safety costs, then it has to fall to the county’s budgets. That’s a net sum loss for the rest of the taxpayers of Orange County,” Demings said at a press briefing at Full Sail University. where he stumped for a sales tax increase for transportation. “It will put an undue burden on the rest of the taxpayers in Orange County to fill that gap.”
He said the measure, introduced by Republican lawmakers, was “obvious... political retribution at play.” The House voted 70-38 Thursday to end Reedy Creek and five other special districts created before 1968, the bill’s threshold for areas to be considered for dissolution.
Orange County, Florida Mayor Jerry Demings. He's also married to Val Demings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Demings