At the end of the day I doubt the courts will side with the tax payers because its down to state government as to the future of Disney’s special tax status . Its not really down to the courts to decide how much tax people pay that is down to government . Of course the tax payers are free to show their disapproval of Desantis in 2024 but other than that I suspect this wont come to much . If Disney sues over 4th amendment violations then that might have a chance of winning but then they will have to frame themselves as a company that opposes parents rights and places the LBGTQ community above traditional family values .
Disney can sue over:
A) the fact that DeSantis chose “special session” to remove the status just to be nasty about it, which, by state law, he can’t do without a voter referendum (now, if he’d used a regular session instead…)
and
B) the bond issue over and above the repayment of debts, as stated in the initial district agreements,
But it’s still the voters that get their own democratic-process payback on expressing their dissatisfaction with DeSantis.
Which may come as a bit of cold water, with DeSantis already literally planning what he’ll do next for ’24 after “winning” November…
But Disney wont sue because if they do they will be opening a whole new can of worms and the backlash against them from the public will be far more than it is now . I can guarantee they wont want to go from being corporation associated with family entertainment to one that is associated with LBGTQ activism which is why Disney’s head of a corporate affairs quit after three months in the job .
Yes, how many taxpayers are suing? This is what I’d like to know. The rich people who live in Golden Oaks inside Disney property? Disney had no business playing politics. Walt would not have approved. Chapek must go!
You might want to learn a few facts.
Golden Oak is not within either Disney property or Reedy Creek Improvement District.
Walt often played politics. That was what he did when he played the state in 1966 to advocate for the Reedy Creek Drainage District before his death.
It was actually Conservative Republicans who fought for corporations 1st Amendment rights, so Disney as a corporation can have and express an opinion on any law.
Politicians love to act like they’re gods. I’m glad the taxpayers are suing Governor DeSatan. It’s time these politicians learn that they can’t punish their constituents just for exercising their freedom of speech. This is still America and we have the right to voice our opinions, regardless of whether or not our elected leaders like what we have to say.
Good! May the litigation proliferate against Mr. DeSantis and the State of Florida at full speed! It couldn’t happen to a more deserving individual and state. Bravo!
If it makes it through the challenges the way its’ written then the tax burden that Reedy Creek was carrying will be distributed amongst all tax-payers in that district. DeSantis should be shamed, since he was the one that gave them that status to begin with, but obviously his ‘favors’ are conditional where if you don’t play ball he’ll take his ball and go home. Problem is he didn’t understand the tax implications–those taxes WILL be paid, but he unwittingly shifted the burden to a lot of people that likely voted for him.
Uh, he didn’t “give” Reedy Creek their status–
That was arranged in 1967, so that Walt could still get his self-governing Experimental Prototype City.
(Or “Community”, after they redubbed Walt’s proposal movie to explain why he got a theme park instead.)
DeSantis wasn’t even born when Disney was given this special tax legislation. You’re as bad as the liberal media spreading disinformation. How can you make a statement saying “DeSantis gave them this status to begin with” ?? You’re the ignorant low IQ voter Democrats love.
Oh we heard him say that just don’t believe him! He’s also the man who followed trump & said Covid was a hoax!! My Aunt went to Florida & a was one of a lot of those who believed him! In March 2020, she never came back & died ALONE, w Covid! Do not believe that man! Florida will pay & by the time they realize HE won’t care bc you’ll have re-elected him!! The increase starts 6/1/23 guess Who will pay the $1 Billion debt? If NOT Taxpayers & Not Disney? DeSantis isn’t cutting that check! He doesn’t care about Florida as much as he does himself!
N.J has certain business districts that pay lesser sales taxes than other areas! It’s business! He made Disney personal & they have a lot of backing being international business!!
I am sorry about your mother. And her death wasn’t counted in the state’s official death count as she was not a resident. So he touts this as the freedom state and then covers up the death rate of those that heeded his call. This is not the same Florida where I grew up. The red hat crowd are the loudest, but 4.7 million voters here don’t feel this way. We used to peacefully coexist and not wear our politics on our cars
@Gena, my condolences for your mother, but do you know how many people in NYC were killed in nursing homes and were not counted? Cuomo was crooked, and plus, look at China. They’re having plenty of cases reported even though you have barely been able to leave your house for 3 years. Over here on the state side, the Covid cases in open states like Florida and Texas are no more compared to 2 year lockdown states like New York and California.
Except, that ignores a few basic facts.
1. Disney pays their property taxes to Orange and Osceola Counties just like every other property owner.
2. Disney then pays additional property tax to RCID to fund the municipal services within the District.
3. IF the district is dissolved, that additional 150 million dollar in expenses will have to be absorbed by Orange County and all of the property owners there. So the property owners outside of the RCID will be shouldered with that additional debt. Additionally, those property owners will be forced to absorb the 1 billion dollars of bond debt.
He’s also raising the property taxes to insane levels, but it would be so sweet if THIS was the angry-taxpayer goof that karmically cost DeSantis his career…
Good Lord. What a load of horse manure! DeSantis is no longer a man of Congress. He’s become a dictator of sorts. This person is not voting for his re-election!
I swear I try to be tolerate right wing people but you make it sound like a cult everytime you open your mouth. “We love Jesus but f his teachings” “prolife but f poor kids” “govt stop raising taxes, oh I’m voting for the man with heavy contributions to the state being unaffordable for middle class”
How is he increasing prop taxes? That’s determined by the county, not the state…With all the people moving to FL from other states, property VALUES go up, which increases the county prop taxes…
How Dare tbe State Violate The Grandfather Clause S be has Continually Violated The Sunshine Law…J tbink WDW is the Best thing that ever came to Florida.ive lived here all my Life.
Desantis need to stop trying to address every issue,he is making a mess out of everything!!(everytime time I turn on tv he’s there with another bill trying to change, please sit down somewhere)!
Disney has clearly chose to cater to a depraved minority. The fact that they are actively fighting to erode parental rights to indoctrinate and sexualize children is horrifying at best. They should also not be getting an unfair advantage over their competitors by an outdated backroom deal. #boycottdisney
You forgot to include the new hot button word “groomer” that is so popular amongst the GQP crowd these days. Maybe you can work in into your next screed.
Obviously the little witch. Wish every state had a governor like him. Someone that doesn’t care what commies think, loves freedom and cares about parental rights keep it up desantis!
@Jen, That sounds just what the democrats do. For example, when Trump won the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton and her cronies were complaining about election interference for all 4 years of his presidency. Another example is about the abortion issue right now. The democrats are melting down on the floor and screaming at the people of the U.S to go protest at the justices houses.
Oh dear god no. Some of us would rather have a functional state government rather than a gov who decides to get into a pissing match with corporations. Imagine what Ron could do to some actual quality of life issues facing FL, like say affordable housing, if he put his mind to it instead and acted with the same type of fervor.
Excuse me, but you are forgetting… Walt Disney took 25,000 acres of swamp land (yes, actual swamp land) and turned it into the #1 travel destination in the world. Florida should be grateful. If it wasn’t for Disney, they’d all be living in a sweltering swamp with lizards, june bugs and alligators! I would bet Disney operates in the red just incase that right wing nut job of a gov pulled something like this!
I’m not a fan of Chapek ..at all .. but the governor is even more of a jackass. This is 100% politically motivated and is revenge in it’s purest form. The Villages has similar special district arrangements and because the residents there are 78% republicans and 98% white , the governor isn’t attacking The Villages at all.
From the outside looking in being from the UK, it does look like DeSantis has cut his nose of to spite his face on this one.
I not a fan of Disney with this current board of Directors that do not seem to have a clue and just want to line their own greedy pockets, perhaps if they had not made a political comment and stayed out of it they would not be in this situation.
I’m not taking sides but it does look like the tax payer will loose out here?
Let’s not lose sight of what a fool “Mini-DeSantis” Randy Fine is as well…his sponsorship of the billdissolving Reedy Creek and his constant threat that Disney will build their own nuclear plant makes him my nominee for human garbage of the year.
DeSantis is a trump “Little me”, who does not govern but dictates. Those temper tantrums did not fare well for trump as voters saw through him and his ways. Nothings gets done, just his right-wing vendettas against all things American.
“Backhanded support” No – what happened was Govt proposed a law that would not allow the teaching of sexual issues to kids K-3 (really if you do not support that you are sick) The media then made a big deal that Disney did not jump on the band wagon against this fully reasonable law and fanned flames within the radical activist community. Disney stuck its nose in where it did not belong. Think about that Disney which is supposed to create family entertainment geared toward kids supports sexualizing small kids. So it was perfectly reasonable and right for them to lose their SPECIAL taxing – or more correctly non taxing status for the 44 square miles. If a person had died due to Disney’s negligence in providing those services or regulations required by law under Reedy Creek – everyone would have their panties on fire. God forbid the person who theoretically died was a member of the militant alphabet gang – they’d be calling it a hate crime.
@Walt take a few minutes to actually read the law. It states that teachers may not instruct about sexuality until it is age appropriate. This put a whole new spin on it because it is purposely ambiguous.
There is a whole agenda that is behind parental rights in education and that is the privatization of public schools. Moreover, the endgame of paying for private religious instruction on the tax payers dime.
Having read the bill multiple times, and not just that small ambiquous quote, the new law does not preserve parental rights, it actually infringes on the rights of citizens .
It does not stop sexual education in grades k-3 because that does not exist in Florida. What it does do is prevents a teacher from answering the question “Why does Billy have 2 dads?” Or answer the question, “Why does Sarah like to wear a boys haircut?”
So people complain all of the time that big corporations get off the hook for not paying taxes. Now y’all wanna reverse your stance? The counties holding that bond debt, that’s on you. When the Cowboys stadium was built, the CITY we lived in paid off the debt to build in 2 years! Disney has been there for how long? I’m sure this debt was much lower in the beginning. Poor planning is on you. DeSantis was given that issue with Disney when he became governor. He didn’t cause it, he is cleaning up years of no regulation and a billion dollar company thinking they are above the average tax payer. Enjoy the fall from your pedestal!
I am sorry about your Aunt. And her death wasn’t counted in the state’s official death count as she was not a resident. So he touts this as the freedom state and then covers up the death rate of those that heeded his call. This is not the same Florida where I grew up. The red hat crowd are the loudest, but 4.7 million voters here don’t feel this way. We used to peacefully coexist and not wear our politics on our cars. This was a law to fix a non-existent problem for all of his fans out there. Look at how he governs, not what he says.
Do you even know what the RCID is? Obviously not.
Disney is not the RCID. RCID is a special district that provides municipal services like Public roadways, Utilities, Flood Control, Emergency Services like Fire Dept and EMT service, Vector Control, Trash Service, Recycling, Building code enforcement, Health services and power generation. And to fund those services, they tax the landowners (Mostly but not only Disney). Disney pays these taxes to RCID for the services. To build this infrastructure, like all cities and counties, the RCID sold municipal bonds that have to be paid off over time. This is like a mortgage on the infrastructure.
This “special privilege” provides that the landowners of the District pay for the services, not the general population of Orange and Osceola counties.
Dissolve the “special privilege” and everyone else in Orange and Osceola counties get the new privilege of spending money to pay for these municipal services.
Florida is literally punishing Disney for their free speech. They are actively punishing someone for having a viewpoint that does not agree with the government which is illegal. A government in the USA can not punish someone for disagreeing with them it is against the First Ammendment. If Republicans are trying to make people believe they follow the Constitution and the Bill of Rights they probably shouldn’t actively attempt to break the Ammendments.
@Jason, I have no idea where your leftist soap box is taking you, but what you just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things that I have heard. Not once in your rambling incoherent response were you even close to stating something that could be considered the actual facts. Firstly, Disney World is the only corporation in Florida that gets these “special privileges, like huge tax cuts. DeSantis is only ensuring that Disney pay their fair share in taxes, just like every other corporation does.
As someone with nearly all left leaning views, but one who is aware that the left is toxic and shouldn’t be allowed to spread, I find it hilarious all the leftists on here, the ones who are anti-corporation, all of a sudden being pro-corporation to Disney, merely because Disney spoke out against the parental act, when they previously supported it. You sixteenth wits are the epitome of hypocrisy.
We live right by Disney. I don’t know who these taxpayers suing DeSantis are, but they sure aren’t your general Florida taxpayers. These so-called taxpayers are probably somehow associated with Disney who Disney positioned for this task. The majority of Florida strongly supports our governor.
All municipal governments operate at a loss. Its not a profit driven business that is why there is municipal bonds that always have great returns because they have an unlimited source of tax bonds are just like getting a mortgage for a house.
Seems this article is one sided as most media is today? Why won’t the real estate taxes that disney will pay cover there fure and etc. Why is that not mentioned in article …so tired of media narrative..disney makes billions …maybe time there tax status changes
By the governor doing this Disney imagineering can not continue updating there rides. Or even get tron and guardians of the galaxy roller coasters completed. To debut at Epcot
Politicians love to act like they’re gods. I’m glad the taxpayers are suing Governor DeSatan. It’s time these politicians learn that they can’t punish their constituents just for exercising their freedom of speech. This is still America and we have the right to voice our opinions, regardless of whether or not our elected leaders like what we have to say.
Vicki, you hit the nail on the head, millions voted Trump OUT, not vote Biden in, with little to no thought as to what we were going to get. Now, after almost 2 years of sleepy Joe, we have soaring inflation, record fuel prices, dysfunctional supply chain, double digit increases in many foodstuffs, thousands of illegal migrants crossing the southern border daily, rampant crime in many of our cities, the shameful withdrawal in Afghanistan that cost 13 American lives and that of countless Afghan allies, Russian aggression and Chinese expansion and a disjointed and chaotic response to C-19, just to name a few. Trump was no angel but Biden’s Presidency is filled with failure, weakness and chaos. And the LGBTQ+ community is feeling the same pain brought on by this administrations incompetence. Only 970 more days until the next election, think positive, we can make it. And maybe squeeze a trip to WDW in there as well.
How about making Disney a reservation, self governing with no access to florida tax dollars then build toll booths that are on all roads exiting the park to access the public roads? Sort of like going to prince Edward island. You can drive over for free, 50 dollars to drive back.
Comments for Taxpayers Sue Gov. Ron DeSantis for Termination of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District
TotalDramaDisney
A rat caught in a mouse’s trap! I LOVE it!
MSG
At the end of the day I doubt the courts will side with the tax payers because its down to state government as to the future of Disney’s special tax status . Its not really down to the courts to decide how much tax people pay that is down to government . Of course the tax payers are free to show their disapproval of Desantis in 2024 but other than that I suspect this wont come to much . If Disney sues over 4th amendment violations then that might have a chance of winning but then they will have to frame themselves as a company that opposes parents rights and places the LBGTQ community above traditional family values .
EricJ
Disney can sue over:
A) the fact that DeSantis chose “special session” to remove the status just to be nasty about it, which, by state law, he can’t do without a voter referendum (now, if he’d used a regular session instead…)
and
B) the bond issue over and above the repayment of debts, as stated in the initial district agreements,
But it’s still the voters that get their own democratic-process payback on expressing their dissatisfaction with DeSantis.
Which may come as a bit of cold water, with DeSantis already literally planning what he’ll do next for ’24 after “winning” November…
drew who
But Disney wont sue because if they do they will be opening a whole new can of worms and the backlash against them from the public will be far more than it is now . I can guarantee they wont want to go from being corporation associated with family entertainment to one that is associated with LBGTQ activism which is why Disney’s head of a corporate affairs quit after three months in the job .
Tink
Yes, how many taxpayers are suing? This is what I’d like to know. The rich people who live in Golden Oaks inside Disney property? Disney had no business playing politics. Walt would not have approved. Chapek must go!
SCOTT m Lee-ROSS
You might want to learn a few facts.
Golden Oak is not within either Disney property or Reedy Creek Improvement District.
Walt often played politics. That was what he did when he played the state in 1966 to advocate for the Reedy Creek Drainage District before his death.
Joem
It was actually Conservative Republicans who fought for corporations 1st Amendment rights, so Disney as a corporation can have and express an opinion on any law.
MarcMar
Politicians love to act like they’re gods. I’m glad the taxpayers are suing Governor DeSatan. It’s time these politicians learn that they can’t punish their constituents just for exercising their freedom of speech. This is still America and we have the right to voice our opinions, regardless of whether or not our elected leaders like what we have to say.
Donna
Due process of law. This was retaliation. Disney was entitled to proper notice and was denied due process.
John A Huffman
DeSantis. Worst. Governor. Ever.
SP
Either you are completely daft or you don’t live in Florida. He has done an amazing job, especially in dealing with Covid.
Renee
Why do you feel disney should pay their share of taxes on land they make billions on?
Bill
The taxpayers aren’t going to pay a dime, and the only reason that nobody has heard about this is the media’s focus on shaming DeSantis.
Yasmar Notlob
It’s about time! Comeuppance comes down but surely 😉
Terry W
Good! May the litigation proliferate against Mr. DeSantis and the State of Florida at full speed! It couldn’t happen to a more deserving individual and state. Bravo!
Rebel
Go back up north Karen. Florida is full, we don’t need anymore snowbirds.
SP
You can just stay up north Yankee. Florida is full of residents who love DeSantis and this great state. If you don’t like it then please STAY OUT!!
Steve-O
If it makes it through the challenges the way its’ written then the tax burden that Reedy Creek was carrying will be distributed amongst all tax-payers in that district. DeSantis should be shamed, since he was the one that gave them that status to begin with, but obviously his ‘favors’ are conditional where if you don’t play ball he’ll take his ball and go home. Problem is he didn’t understand the tax implications–those taxes WILL be paid, but he unwittingly shifted the burden to a lot of people that likely voted for him.
EricJ
Uh, he didn’t “give” Reedy Creek their status–
That was arranged in 1967, so that Walt could still get his self-governing Experimental Prototype City.
(Or “Community”, after they redubbed Walt’s proposal movie to explain why he got a theme park instead.)
Jersey
DeSantis wasn’t even born when Disney was given this special tax legislation. You’re as bad as the liberal media spreading disinformation. How can you make a statement saying “DeSantis gave them this status to begin with” ?? You’re the ignorant low IQ voter Democrats love.
Walt
Congrats on using ‘you’re’ correctly, maybe you can teach your orange god how to accurately navigate the English language.
Pudding
Bill taxpayers will be footing the entire bill please get better.
Mike
Desantis does quite well at shaming himself.
Gena
Oh we heard him say that just don’t believe him! He’s also the man who followed trump & said Covid was a hoax!! My Aunt went to Florida & a was one of a lot of those who believed him! In March 2020, she never came back & died ALONE, w Covid! Do not believe that man! Florida will pay & by the time they realize HE won’t care bc you’ll have re-elected him!! The increase starts 6/1/23 guess Who will pay the $1 Billion debt? If NOT Taxpayers & Not Disney? DeSantis isn’t cutting that check! He doesn’t care about Florida as much as he does himself!
N.J has certain business districts that pay lesser sales taxes than other areas! It’s business! He made Disney personal & they have a lot of backing being international business!!
Donna
I am sorry about your mother. And her death wasn’t counted in the state’s official death count as she was not a resident. So he touts this as the freedom state and then covers up the death rate of those that heeded his call. This is not the same Florida where I grew up. The red hat crowd are the loudest, but 4.7 million voters here don’t feel this way. We used to peacefully coexist and not wear our politics on our cars
BackTheBlue
@Gena, my condolences for your mother, but do you know how many people in NYC were killed in nursing homes and were not counted? Cuomo was crooked, and plus, look at China. They’re having plenty of cases reported even though you have barely been able to leave your house for 3 years. Over here on the state side, the Covid cases in open states like Florida and Texas are no more compared to 2 year lockdown states like New York and California.
SCOTT m Lee-ROSS
Except, that ignores a few basic facts.
1. Disney pays their property taxes to Orange and Osceola Counties just like every other property owner.
2. Disney then pays additional property tax to RCID to fund the municipal services within the District.
3. IF the district is dissolved, that additional 150 million dollar in expenses will have to be absorbed by Orange County and all of the property owners there. So the property owners outside of the RCID will be shouldered with that additional debt. Additionally, those property owners will be forced to absorb the 1 billion dollars of bond debt.
EricJ
He’s also raising the property taxes to insane levels, but it would be so sweet if THIS was the angry-taxpayer goof that karmically cost DeSantis his career…
Walter Raleigh
Keep wishing and hoping. You will find that the current Florida governor is by far the best governor in Florida history.
Marg
Good Lord. What a load of horse manure! DeSantis is no longer a man of Congress. He’s become a dictator of sorts. This person is not voting for his re-election!
C H
That’s OK, my wife and I will. Could we lower the age to 16 so my kids can as well?
James
I swear I try to be tolerate right wing people but you make it sound like a cult everytime you open your mouth. “We love Jesus but f his teachings” “prolife but f poor kids” “govt stop raising taxes, oh I’m voting for the man with heavy contributions to the state being unaffordable for middle class”
MrsB
How is he increasing prop taxes? That’s determined by the county, not the state…With all the people moving to FL from other states, property VALUES go up, which increases the county prop taxes…
Diane Hankinson
How Dare tbe State Violate The Grandfather Clause S be has Continually Violated The Sunshine Law…J tbink WDW is the Best thing that ever came to Florida.ive lived here all my Life.
franklin
Is there a reason that you chose to capitalize almost every word in your reply? Is your keyboard broken?
Marg
Right on sister! Wholeheartedly agree!
Betty Hamilton
Desantis need to stop trying to address every issue,he is making a mess out of everything!!(everytime time I turn on tv he’s there with another bill trying to change, please sit down somewhere)!
Marg
I absolutely, positively, CANNOT STAND the man and all he’s about.
Bill
Firstly, DeSantis shouldn’t be the person you can’t stand when we have a president that can’t even stand on his own two feet or form a sentence.
Will
Disney has clearly chose to cater to a depraved minority. The fact that they are actively fighting to erode parental rights to indoctrinate and sexualize children is horrifying at best. They should also not be getting an unfair advantage over their competitors by an outdated backroom deal. #boycottdisney
Rupert
Keep drinking the Fox News kool-aid you wing nut.
W.K
Such a Democratic response.
franklin
You forgot to include the new hot button word “groomer” that is so popular amongst the GQP crowd these days. Maybe you can work in into your next screed.
Darth Santis
Bwahaha! Simple Will got OWNED by Rupert & Franklin. Will, Goofy doesn’t need any more competition…
Jen
Let’s see who the voters will side with … Mickey Mouse or a crooked politician who acts like a little witch every time someone tells him no.
Andy
Perfect
Zach
Obviously the little witch. Wish every state had a governor like him. Someone that doesn’t care what commies think, loves freedom and cares about parental rights keep it up desantis!
Mike
Yes, every state needs someone that throws trumper-tantrums everytime he doesn’t get his way.
Marg
Thumbs up!
Jen
LOL! Trumper tantrums! I love it. My family in Florida call him Mini-Trump.
BackTheBlue
@Jen, That sounds just what the democrats do. For example, when Trump won the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton and her cronies were complaining about election interference for all 4 years of his presidency. Another example is about the abortion issue right now. The democrats are melting down on the floor and screaming at the people of the U.S to go protest at the justices houses.
W.K
You mean like the Democrats have done and continue to do.
franklin
>Wish every state had a governor like him
Oh dear god no. Some of us would rather have a functional state government rather than a gov who decides to get into a pissing match with corporations. Imagine what Ron could do to some actual quality of life issues facing FL, like say affordable housing, if he put his mind to it instead and acted with the same type of fervor.
Bij
I’ve never heard of a massive corporation being accused of being communist, but then again, nobody seems to understand what “communism” means anyway
Joem
I see you graduated from Desantis’s clown college!!
Dee
Excuse me, but you are forgetting… Walt Disney took 25,000 acres of swamp land (yes, actual swamp land) and turned it into the #1 travel destination in the world. Florida should be grateful. If it wasn’t for Disney, they’d all be living in a sweltering swamp with lizards, june bugs and alligators! I would bet Disney operates in the red just incase that right wing nut job of a gov pulled something like this!
Kria
DeSantis needs to sit tf down and stay out of grown folks business.
Bob
Tell me you don’t understand Florida law with telling me.
FLOGROWN
For all the people that are FOR Disney on this one, I hope you don’t live in Florida. And if you do, please move.
Good citizen
Ahh disney share holders upset lol
Get out of Florida ASAP
DonB
I’m not a fan of Chapek ..at all .. but the governor is even more of a jackass. This is 100% politically motivated and is revenge in it’s purest form. The Villages has similar special district arrangements and because the residents there are 78% republicans and 98% white , the governor isn’t attacking The Villages at all.
Mike
What a shocker. This guy doesn’t have anybody’s best interest in mind but his own. But people will find out when it’s too late
Julian H
From the outside looking in being from the UK, it does look like DeSantis has cut his nose of to spite his face on this one.
I not a fan of Disney with this current board of Directors that do not seem to have a clue and just want to line their own greedy pockets, perhaps if they had not made a political comment and stayed out of it they would not be in this situation.
I’m not taking sides but it does look like the tax payer will loose out here?
Darth Santis
Let’s not lose sight of what a fool “Mini-DeSantis” Randy Fine is as well…his sponsorship of the billdissolving Reedy Creek and his constant threat that Disney will build their own nuclear plant makes him my nominee for human garbage of the year.
Bill
DeSantis is a trump “Little me”, who does not govern but dictates. Those temper tantrums did not fare well for trump as voters saw through him and his ways. Nothings gets done, just his right-wing vendettas against all things American.
Andy
Unfortunately while I can’t stand trump he got a lot done.
Wink
Correction…Democrats sue DeSantis.
Walt
“Backhanded support” No – what happened was Govt proposed a law that would not allow the teaching of sexual issues to kids K-3 (really if you do not support that you are sick) The media then made a big deal that Disney did not jump on the band wagon against this fully reasonable law and fanned flames within the radical activist community. Disney stuck its nose in where it did not belong. Think about that Disney which is supposed to create family entertainment geared toward kids supports sexualizing small kids. So it was perfectly reasonable and right for them to lose their SPECIAL taxing – or more correctly non taxing status for the 44 square miles. If a person had died due to Disney’s negligence in providing those services or regulations required by law under Reedy Creek – everyone would have their panties on fire. God forbid the person who theoretically died was a member of the militant alphabet gang – they’d be calling it a hate crime.
Manny
@Walt take a few minutes to actually read the law. It states that teachers may not instruct about sexuality until it is age appropriate. This put a whole new spin on it because it is purposely ambiguous.
There is a whole agenda that is behind parental rights in education and that is the privatization of public schools. Moreover, the endgame of paying for private religious instruction on the tax payers dime.
SCOTT m Lee-ROSS
Having read the bill multiple times, and not just that small ambiquous quote, the new law does not preserve parental rights, it actually infringes on the rights of citizens .
It does not stop sexual education in grades k-3 because that does not exist in Florida. What it does do is prevents a teacher from answering the question “Why does Billy have 2 dads?” Or answer the question, “Why does Sarah like to wear a boys haircut?”
Concerned Citizen
So people complain all of the time that big corporations get off the hook for not paying taxes. Now y’all wanna reverse your stance? The counties holding that bond debt, that’s on you. When the Cowboys stadium was built, the CITY we lived in paid off the debt to build in 2 years! Disney has been there for how long? I’m sure this debt was much lower in the beginning. Poor planning is on you. DeSantis was given that issue with Disney when he became governor. He didn’t cause it, he is cleaning up years of no regulation and a billion dollar company thinking they are above the average tax payer. Enjoy the fall from your pedestal!
B
Where exactly can I find that “functioning state gov” today ?
Your mom
Because everything you read on the internet is true……
Donna
I am sorry about your Aunt. And her death wasn’t counted in the state’s official death count as she was not a resident. So he touts this as the freedom state and then covers up the death rate of those that heeded his call. This is not the same Florida where I grew up. The red hat crowd are the loudest, but 4.7 million voters here don’t feel this way. We used to peacefully coexist and not wear our politics on our cars. This was a law to fix a non-existent problem for all of his fans out there. Look at how he governs, not what he says.
SCOTT m Lee-ROSS
Do you even know what the RCID is? Obviously not.
Disney is not the RCID. RCID is a special district that provides municipal services like Public roadways, Utilities, Flood Control, Emergency Services like Fire Dept and EMT service, Vector Control, Trash Service, Recycling, Building code enforcement, Health services and power generation. And to fund those services, they tax the landowners (Mostly but not only Disney). Disney pays these taxes to RCID for the services. To build this infrastructure, like all cities and counties, the RCID sold municipal bonds that have to be paid off over time. This is like a mortgage on the infrastructure.
This “special privilege” provides that the landowners of the District pay for the services, not the general population of Orange and Osceola counties.
Dissolve the “special privilege” and everyone else in Orange and Osceola counties get the new privilege of spending money to pay for these municipal services.
Joem
You might want to read up on how bonding works and what it’s purpose is.
Priss
This is one taxpayer that is Grateful for Gov. Desantis! My question is who funded the money for the lawsuit.
KB
The vast majority of Floridians are with Desantis. The woke left are just squeaking and are clueless to the facts.
Andy
Get woke
Jason
Florida is literally punishing Disney for their free speech. They are actively punishing someone for having a viewpoint that does not agree with the government which is illegal. A government in the USA can not punish someone for disagreeing with them it is against the First Ammendment. If Republicans are trying to make people believe they follow the Constitution and the Bill of Rights they probably shouldn’t actively attempt to break the Ammendments.
BackTheBlue
@Jason, I have no idea where your leftist soap box is taking you, but what you just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things that I have heard. Not once in your rambling incoherent response were you even close to stating something that could be considered the actual facts. Firstly, Disney World is the only corporation in Florida that gets these “special privileges, like huge tax cuts. DeSantis is only ensuring that Disney pay their fair share in taxes, just like every other corporation does.
Andy
Can’t stand Fla Gov
ScrewTheBlue
As someone with nearly all left leaning views, but one who is aware that the left is toxic and shouldn’t be allowed to spread, I find it hilarious all the leftists on here, the ones who are anti-corporation, all of a sudden being pro-corporation to Disney, merely because Disney spoke out against the parental act, when they previously supported it. You sixteenth wits are the epitome of hypocrisy.
Denise
We live right by Disney. I don’t know who these taxpayers suing DeSantis are, but they sure aren’t your general Florida taxpayers. These so-called taxpayers are probably somehow associated with Disney who Disney positioned for this task. The majority of Florida strongly supports our governor.
MM
What the article fails to mention is that it’s only 4 people filing. DeSantis for the win.
Matthew Megna
All municipal governments operate at a loss. Its not a profit driven business that is why there is municipal bonds that always have great returns because they have an unlimited source of tax bonds are just like getting a mortgage for a house.
Renee
Seems this article is one sided as most media is today? Why won’t the real estate taxes that disney will pay cover there fure and etc. Why is that not mentioned in article …so tired of media narrative..disney makes billions …maybe time there tax status changes
Ben Collins
By the governor doing this Disney imagineering can not continue updating there rides. Or even get tron and guardians of the galaxy roller coasters completed. To debut at Epcot
Marc
Politicians love to act like they’re gods. I’m glad the taxpayers are suing Governor DeSatan. It’s time these politicians learn that they can’t punish their constituents just for exercising their freedom of speech. This is still America and we have the right to voice our opinions, regardless of whether or not our elected leaders like what we have to say.
Ron
Vicki, you hit the nail on the head, millions voted Trump OUT, not vote Biden in, with little to no thought as to what we were going to get. Now, after almost 2 years of sleepy Joe, we have soaring inflation, record fuel prices, dysfunctional supply chain, double digit increases in many foodstuffs, thousands of illegal migrants crossing the southern border daily, rampant crime in many of our cities, the shameful withdrawal in Afghanistan that cost 13 American lives and that of countless Afghan allies, Russian aggression and Chinese expansion and a disjointed and chaotic response to C-19, just to name a few. Trump was no angel but Biden’s Presidency is filled with failure, weakness and chaos. And the LGBTQ+ community is feeling the same pain brought on by this administrations incompetence. Only 970 more days until the next election, think positive, we can make it. And maybe squeeze a trip to WDW in there as well.
RoC
How about making Disney a reservation, self governing with no access to florida tax dollars then build toll booths that are on all roads exiting the park to access the public roads? Sort of like going to prince Edward island. You can drive over for free, 50 dollars to drive back.
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