Credit: Inside the magicThe California city of Anaheim, the home of the Happiest Place on Earth, is secretly controlled by a “cabal” of unelected power brokers and Disneyland Resort employees, a bombshell new report claims.
For nearly seven decades, the relationship between the Disneyland Resort and Anaheim has been the topic of speculation and allegations that the Walt Disney Company wields secret influence over the city that it brings millions of dollars of tourist money every year. In exchange, it is claimed that Disneyland receives preferential tax status and basically acts as a shadow government.
Related: Disney Quickly Covers Up Former Site of Splash Mountain
Bizarrely Close Relationships Between Disneyland and City Council
A new, in-depth report in the Los Angeles Times claims that Anaheim City Council member Jordan Brandman and Disneyland Resort director of external affairs Carrie Nocell vacationed together, collaborated behind the scenes, and even texted they loved each other.
At the same time, Jordan Brandman held positions of influence throughout Anaheim’s legislative structure and now says that he regrets his close relationships with Disneyland lobbyists but that he was just doing his job.
“Brandman expresses regret about a few of his decisions on the council but maintains that most of his actions were in the interests of the city, not the lobbyists he counted as friends.”
However, Jordan Brandman also admits that:
“Asked if he thought the lobbyists controlled his votes, Brandman at first insisted that wasn’t true. But he acknowledged that they had leverage over him at certain points, even influencing some of his medical decisions. He said they exerted tight control over the city behind the scenes. “It’s a Gilded Age-type of arrangement,” Brandman said, “where the robber barons come and the senators just say yes.”
Among other decisions, Brandman voted to allow a deal in which Disney promised to expand its legendary Disney Park, with the city agreeing that revenue from taxes on Disneyland’s admission tickets would go back to the company… for the next 45 years. In 2016, Brandman voted to approve a $ 267 million tax break for Disneyland Resort.
Brandman has since been ousted from his positions amid allegations of racist and misogynistic outbursts.
Disneyland Recently Lost a Huge Anaheim Legal Ruling
Several weeks ago, California appellate court ruled against the Walt Disney Company, deciding that the corporation was not following a 2o18 living-wage law passed in 2018 and has thus been underpaying its Cast Member staff for years.
According to the Walt Disney Company, it did not have to pay those wages because it had already asked the city to revoke several special tax situations for Disneyland, ones that Brandman had helped bring about.
Related: Disneyland Icon Shutting Its Doors in Late Summer
Disney Has Become a Hugely Controversial Company
In the last few years, the Walt Disney Company has unexpectedly become a polarizing organization for many Americans.
Accusations of “woke messaging” and the sexualization of children from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have dominated headlines, while CEO Bob Iger’s inflammatory comments about writers and actors needing to avoid disrupting things for his company have significantly altered Disney’s once squeaky-clean image.
Allegations that Disney is essentially running a whole city behind the scenes for tax breaks certainly can’t help any of this.
Does Disneyland have an inappropriate influence over Anaheim? Let us know in the comments below!