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Credit: First Coast NewsWith one swipe of his pen, Governor Ron DeSantis has defunded Florida museums and art programs by $32 million, decimating a hugely popular and financially sound state industry. At the same time, the far-right politician is diverting billions of taxpayer dollars to Disney, causing critics to rage about his priorities.
Ron DeSantis: Disney Friend and/or Foe
It was not that long ago that Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company were at each others’ throats, figuratively speaking. Thanks to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, the Mouse House has been one of the largest employers in the state of Florida for decades and brings in millions of tourists (and their spending money) every year.
This makes Disney a hugely influential voice in the state and an enormous economic force, so Florida politicians have largely given the company wide latitude and controversial assets, like the former Reedy Creek Improvement District, a tax area in which most of Disney World is located.
However, in 2023, this all went out the window after former Disney CEO Bob Chapek took a public stance against the Parental Rights in Education Act (popularly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law), which Governor DeSantis made a huge part of his image as an anti-woke firebrand.
Chapek had previously attempted to sidestep the issue as LGBTQIA+ advocates demanded a response from Disney, but eventually, he came out against it, and a very public feud kicked off.
Related: In Debt for Disney: Study Shows Unfortunate Trend
For the last year, DeSantis and Disney battled it out in federal and state courtrooms. Numerous lawsuits were filed by and against The Walt Disney Company, the Walt Disney World Resort, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (which had replaced Reedy Creek), and DeSantis himself.
After months of potshots in the media, the CFTOD and Disney abruptly called a truce and announced a settlement that allowed both parties to admit to no wrongdoing and basically walk away from the feud.
Last week, Disney dropped the sole remaining lawsuit against Governor DeSantis, while the CFTOD board of supervisors, perhaps not coincidentally, finally approved a 15-year plan to expand Disney World and build a fifth theme land. Reports indicate that it will call for some $17 billion in investments.
That specific dollar amount turns out to be the surplus included in the 2024-2025 budget just signed by Ron DeSantis. However, the governor also slashed arts spending across the board, vetoing expenses that he didn’t “think was appropriate for state tax dollars.”
“This Isn’t Smart and Makes No Sense”
The budget that Governor Ron DeSantis just signed will go into effect for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and makes up a total of $116.5 billion in state funding. In order to get to that dollar amount, which will include funding to expand Disney World, refurbish the I4 highway that leads to it, and reduce gas prices, the governor vetoed nearly $1 billion in expenses (per Herald-Tribune).
While many organizations will be hit hard by this budget veto, it is notable that the near-entirety of Florida arts funding was considered not “appropriate” by Ron DeSantis. Over 600 art and culture projects and organizations have now completely lost their state funding, including museums, galleries, and festivals.
Bari Newport, the producing artistic director at GableStage, a Florida theater company, said (via Palm Beach Post), “We’ve spent the morning cutting things,…We have other sources of income that keep us going, but this state money helps us support artists, fund educational programs, and it keeps tickets affordable for as many people as possible.”
While some might consider arts funding to have no concrete value other than cultural improvement, this DeSantis veto has more concrete economic dangers.
Former Democratic state House member Carlos Guillermo Smith, who is currently running for State Senate District 17, pointed out that state assessments have calculated that every dollar spent on arts funding in Florida produces nine dollars worth of additional spending and future tax revenue.
He said, “The state has an overall nine-to-one return on investment from these grants that generate hundreds of millions in tax revenue and fuel our local economy…This isn’t smart and makes no sense.”
Related: Disney Expanding Out of Florida, but Locals Aren’t So Sure
The defunded arts programs will also cost thousands of jobs across the state, critics say. Arts Garage president Marjorie Waldo said:
“This is a significant number, this is not something we anticipated. The research is clear. Art is not just about entertainment. We create jobs for artists, curators, and musicians. We employ marketers, accountants, lighting and sound technical engineers and professionals that span multiple industries. And we support other local businesses through our purchase of goods and services.”
“If you’re hindering some of the programming in your communities that feeds the tourism tax base, then I’m not sure that you’ve cut the right place, that you’ve cut the right line item.”
While arts funding has been cut for years in Florida, this will be the first year that it has been completely removed from the state budget, thanks to DeSantis. Sarasota Opera general director Richard Russell said, “It is devastating. Unfortunate is too light a word. It is a lack of recognition of the economic impact that we have in our community and how much revenue we generate for the state.”
DeSantis deputy press secretary Julia Friedland released a statement (via WPTV), saying:
“The governor views every bill and appropriation that comes across his desk and uses his authority under Florida Constitution to make veto decisions that are in the best interest of the state of Florida.”
In other words, Governor DeSantis has determined that Florida’s best interests involve a lot of Disney but not museums, opera, or arts funding of any kind.
Do you think arts programs like museums should receive state funding? Comment below!