Florida
Related: About this forumDeSantis Reportedly Backing Down From Plan to Wreck Disney's Self Government District
DeathSantis' stunt of attacking Disney never made sense. Abolishing taxing district would cause the local counties to assume the bond obligations. DeathSantis has had to back down from the stunt
Link to tweet
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/we-can-t-let-the-governor-look-like-he-lost-desantis-reportedly-backing-down-from-plan-to-wreck-disney-s-self-government-district/ar-AA14PMcX?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=504be472e3934b1b936089babc980f40
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) made national headlines in April when he signed a bill repealing the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), the special taxing district on the Walt Disney Companys Central Florida property. But now that the governor has won re-election, Disney has brought back a former CEO and the legal reality loomed ready to inflict some staggeringly bad consequences DeSantis is reportedly backing down.
The bill repealing RCID effective June 1, 2023 was sponsored by State Rep. Randy Fine (R) and State Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R), who did not communicate with anyone at Disney, RCID, or any of the county governments that would be affected before passing this ill-conceived law.
The Republicans backing the move openly admitted they were doing so in retaliation for former Disney CEO Bob Chapeks criticism of the Parental Rights in Education bill (deemed the Dont Say Gay bill by its critics), specifically regarding a memo Chapek sent to Disney employees vocally objecting to the bill after its passage. Chapek also hit the pause button on the Mouse making any political contributions and a plan to move thousands of employees from Palo Alto, California to a new facility being built in Lake Nona (a region in the southeast area of Orlando).
The bill essentially sets up a system of legislative blackmail, I wrote back in April, by timing the repeal to take effect after the 2022 midterm elections and 2023 regular legislative session, sending a message to Disney to sit down and shut up (and get out their campaign checkbook again)......
Ive said throughout this saga that there was no way RCID would actually get repealed. Disney had multiple legal avenues to challenge it that were widely viewed as slam dunk winners by even notably conservative attorneys who are normally loath to make optimistic predictions about litigation outcomes. And the consequences to the states economy and environment would be far too dire.
The Blue Flower
(5,636 posts)When Disney first opened its park in Central Florida, it was perceived as a kind of Vatican--a government unto itself--because of all the waivers Disney was able to get out of the legislature. I didn't think that environmental regulations applied there. A friend of mine from high school who worked there at a low-level job was accused of phoning in a bomb threat. Fortunately, his dad had the means to hire lawyers to defend him. There was absolutely nothing to point to my friend as the person who had done it.
snowybirdie
(5,632 posts)all across Florida were set up with similar governing issues to build their infrastructure. He would open a can of worms if he went through with this. it never made sense.
Jade Fox
(10,030 posts)Just a chance to get people worked up over the "culture wars".
DeSantis as President? Oh puleeze.
LetMyPeopleVote
(154,549 posts)In It to Win It
(9,620 posts)They gave themselves time to backtrack conveniently after the election.