Ron DeSantis Calls Special Session to Punish Disney - Rolling Stone
By: Nikki McCann Ramirez (Rolling Stone)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has called a special legislative session to finalize the government's decision to revoke Disney's control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
The state's legislature voted last year to strip the media company of special taxing and self-governance provisions in the area around its Florida park after the company opposed the controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill that placed widespread restrictions on the discussion of LGBTQ related topics in schools.
"We're not going to have a corporation controlling its own government," DeSantis said during a news conference on Thursday. "So the state's going to have a board to run it. So Disney will not have self-governing status anymore."
"We're not going to bend the knee to woke executives in California," DeSantis added.
Reedy Creek was established as a special taxing district in 1967, and allows Disney to act as a county government within a 39-square-mile area covering its Disney World resort. The company can collect local taxes and has the ability to manage its own police, fire, and emergency medical services.
In March of last year, then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek, facing pressure from both employees and Disney fans and shareholders, declared the company's opposition to the state's "Don't Say Gay" bill. In retaliation, the GOP-controlled government moved to strip the company of its special tax status. The bill penalizing Disney passed the Florida legislature via a 68-38 vote in April of last year.
While the company's new status isn't set to take full effect until June of this year, DeSantis' call for a special session is intended to finalize the finer points of the transition. The governor indicated on Thursday that the session will take place "in a week or two," and will cover "a whole bunch of different things that need to be taken care of … including making sure that Disney doesn't have self-governing status anymore."
The governor, aided by right-wing reactionaries like Tucker Carlson, has pushed unfounded claims that Disney supports child abuse and sexual exploitation as a means to justify his actions against the company. The governor accused Disney of "sexualizing kindergarteners" and being in the pocket of communist China last March, at the height of his dispute with the company.
While Disney and the Florida government have reportedly engaged in back-end discussions to prevent the dissolution of the district, it seems DeSantis is prepared to move forward with the legislature's decision. However, the state could face a challenge from the company on grounds that the decision violates Disney's First Amendment rights, as the state's actions could constitute retaliation for protected speech.
DeSantis reportedly accepted multiple donations from Disney, totaling $100,000 between 2019 and 2021. Disney was also one of the sponsors of his gubernatorial inauguration earlier this year.
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So the state is going to control it.
If the state is going to be in charge, I guess now they will get to run the fire and police department there. Take care of the roadways, take care of the outstanding bonds...
Igor should hold a press conference announcing he's stopping all state political donations and closing all FL operations effective immediately.
Another article about what hypocritical whiny bitches the leftist media has become, If the corporation were Blackwater or Koch the left would lose it's mind they were controlling local government, but let a republican remove a corporation from local government and their hypocrisy is on full display.
Talk about grasping for straws.
The difference being that Blackwater actively kills people, Koch does shit that will kill our grandchildren. while Disney entertains us. But hey!
Nice, so if it's the "right" corporation you are okay if it runs the government. Hypocrisy at it's finest.
You seriously have no clue what you are talking about here. Reedy Creek is an Improvement District inside the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, both of which are populated entirely by Disney employees and retirees. What do you think DeSantis or the state can do? There is no downside for Disney here. The 2 cities can disengage from the District and that would leave DeSantis' board with no power and nothing to do. Do you actually think DeSantis can compel Disney's operations to do anything? Anything at all?
And democrats are shocked that DeSantis can't be bought, after the Chinese were able to buy the entire Biden family for a bag of fentanyl for Hunter.
So you are fine with the taxpayers being on the hook for Disney...
It's only like a billion dollars...
They're not, deflection fail
So according to you it will be run by the state yet they will not pay a dime....
Ok...
Sigh, it will be run like every other city in the state, So you are for corporations running cities, As long as you don't have to pay for it?
So yes, the state is taking on the expense.
Oh come on. OCP runs Detroit, what could go wrong? /s
Nope, try again. the city will, with the taxes it collects from the shitty corporation within it's limits, Disney will have to pay it's fair share.
I wonder who is the biggest employer in Florida.....
If they weren't so ground in I would almost hope to see them move.
It’s Florida ...... by a lot.
Meh, so instead of costs being outrageous at Disney, they will now be doubly outrageous.
C’est la vie ...
I would almost think the opposite. If the company is freed up from having to take care of some areas, it should free up some resources and revenue for them.
Once they lose their tax exempt status, they will need to raise prices to pay for it. Or lower their overhead. The high prices at Disney are about to get much higher.
Disney chose poorly on this one
Very poorly.
Chose poorly? By daring to criticize the governor?
So you want things run in kind of a totalitarian way...
Interesting take on what really happened.
Bottom line, from a business standpoint, they did chose poorly. They took a hard, unyielding line and now they are paying for it.
It’s really no more complicated than that when you remove emotion from the equation.
Exactly what choice did they make?
Lol .... you honestly don’t know?
I was asking you. What their choice was.
It's not all that much of a downside for Disney - Other than not being able to approve new construction what's the punishment here?
Looks like DeSantis just continues to fuck the tax payer and Disney continues to laugh all the way to the bank.
I see, you want to play sophomoric games.
The choice they made is well known. They chose to publicly oppose the bill that restricted discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in public school syllabuses.
And the owners of the public schools bit back via their elected officials.
So yeah, it was a poor choice for a “company” to make.
Yeah, laughing all the way to a 30% stock loss in the last year.
I’m sure Disney stock holders think it’s hilarious.
The stock loss wasn't because of anything DeSantis did or will do. The stock price is down, but the earnings are up.
Never said it was. Said it was because of poor choices on Disney’s part. Same goes for their stock losses. Poor choices.
Disney felt the need to wade into politics and do some virtue sinaling without considering the likely ramifications of their actions. Anyone involved in making that decision should be fired.
The hypocrisy of it is laughable, some corporations are good running government, others aren't. I wonder if that is because some liberals live in fantasyland?
So Disney dared have an opinion on a bill in the statehouse that might impact them.
And the right wing says oh no. Don't you dare speak up or else.
Yeah, take that stance national....
Impact Disney? By not teaching certain subjects to third graders? That is quite the stretch even for the woke. It seems what they did is having a bigger impact than if they just ran their business. Personally I would rather have companies that are in the business to, you know, make money.
You figured it out. It is all a conspiracy by Disney so they will lose money....
So you don't have an answer on how it would impact Disney and just posted a crap response? Nice Maybe you will figure it out.
Never said that. Why do you feel the need to just make stuff up? Try reading 6 again. Then maybe tell me how the law would have impacted Disney. Or did you make that up too?
What choice did Disney make that would warrant all of this?
Exactly what choice?
Try reading 6 again. Then maybe tell me how the law would have impacted Disney.
I read it the first time.
The only thing you have said is admitted it is nothing but retribution politics.
I can't make you understand or stop you from making things up or refusing to substantiate your BS claims. Have a lovely day.
Not very likely though.
I wonder if DeSantis is going to take the same approach to the other 1834 Special Districts in Florida?
June 1, 2023 will be the date we'll actually know what is/has happened.
As a point of interest, Disney gets no special tax breaks. In 2021 they paid the state of Florida $780 million in local and state taxes.
Does this mean that Disney female employees will have to forward their menstrual cycles into a Florida government data base?