But when it was revealed the measure could have resulted in residents taking on a sizeable amount of debt through higher taxes, the legislature sent DeSantis a new bill in February 2023, during a special session, that would allow the governor to appoint a board to control the district.Īfter Disney created a loophole to retain power, he worked with the legislature to double down, including measures being considered to impose new inspections on Disney's monorail system and rides. "This lawsuit is yet another unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida voters and operate outside the bounds of the law."ĭeSantis worked with the legislature twice before to punish Disney and ran on the issue during his successful 2022 reelection bid.įirst, DeSantis signed a bill into law in April 2022 to dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District that oversees Disney. "We are unaware of any legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain special privileges not held by other businesses in the state," Taryn Fenske, DeSantis' communications director, said when asked about the lawsuit. The case has been assigned to Judge Mark Walker, an appointee of President Barack Obama who previously blocked a DeSantis-backed law that restricted how workplaces instituted diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings. The DeSantis-Disney feud started when the company's executives publicly pledged to work to repeal a DeSantis-backed school-curriculum bill that Democrats have termed the " Don't Say Gay" bill. In the mix were higher taxes, more regulations, building workforce affordable housing, and exploring the sale of utilities the district owns. Last week, DeSantis' newly appointed board said "nothing is off the table" as it took on a major overhaul of the area. He even floated the idea of building a state prison on the 40 square miles of land that borders the resort and theme park.
The latest move by the company, currently facing a wave of layoffs, is an escalation after DeSantis threatened changes to Disney's special tax district, with help from both the Florida Legislature and the board he appointed to oversee the district. Walt Disney Co., the parent company of Walt Disney Parks and Resort, is headquartered in Burbank, California, but the company holds powerful sway in Florida through Walt Disney World, which has roughly 80,000 employees and is the state's biggest tourist attraction. It has also stunned the business world given Disney's formidable power in the state. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
0 kommentar(er)
