The Florida legislature stripped Disney of its special tax district as punishment for opposing Florida’s new parental rights law.
Summary
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and the GOP-controlled Florida legislature stripped Disney of its special tax district as punishment for the companyâs public opposition to Floridaâs new parental rights law.
- The bill passed âin lighting fashionâ over the course of six days, and DeSantis warned there could be more consequences coming for Disney.
- The legislation eliminating the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the 55-year-old Disney government, is expected âto have huge tax implications for Disneyâ and will take effect in June 2023.
- The immediate financial impact is uncertain, but the bill could force Disney to change how it manages the 6 parks and 175 miles of roads within the 25,000-acre area.
- Florida Republicans argued Reedy Creek âgave Disney too much authority to self-govern,â citing Disneyâs control over water and fire service in the district.
- DeSantis said, âNo individual or no company in Florida is treated this way. And itâs not right to have dissimilar treatment.â
- Unraveling the Reedy Creek Improvement District will be a âcomplicated transactionâ involving assigning public debts and delineating responsibilities for public services and will likely dominate the 2023 Florida legislative session.
- The New York Times viewed DeSantis âpunishing Disneyâ as the beginning of a âlasting G.O.P. brawlâ with major corporations.
- The Washington Post argued DeSantis âunloadingâ on Disney is a symbol of the unraveling of the âGOPâs cozy ties with big business.â
- CNN framed DeSantisâs actions as âGOP politiciansâŠchoosing anti-wokeness over friendliness to big business.â
- Fox News quoted DeSantis at the bill-signing ceremony, who said if â[Disneyâs] gonna marshal your economic might to attack the parents of my state. We view that as a provocation, and weâre going to fight back against that.â
- The Wall Street Journal provided details on how the now-former Reedy Creek Improvement District worked and the repercussions for Orange County (Orlando), which will likely have to hike tax rates to pay for the districtâs dissolution.
- National Reviewâs Charlie Cooke, a Floridian and typically a DeSantis supporter, labeled DeSantisâs actions âprobably legal, definitely cynicalâ in what he called a âmisguided attackâ Â that was less âfightingâ than a âtantrum.â
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© Dominic Moore, 2022