Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis upped the ante in his feud with The Walt Disney Co., saying Wednesday the entertainment giant soon will no longer be self-governing because there is a "new sheriff in town."
The Florida House introduced a bill Monday that would rename the Reedy Creek Improvement District the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District within two years, and instead of Disney governing the district and its five board members, the board members will be appointed by the governor and approved by the state Senate.
Disney was given control of the Reedy Creek district by the state in 1967 before construction began on the Walt Disney World resort.
"Now, this is obviously going to be controlled by the state of Florida, which is no longer self-governing for [Disney]," DeSantis said in Ocala, where he unveiled a plan to provide $2 billion in tax relief for Florida families. "So, there's a new sheriff in town, and that's the way it's going to be."
DeSantis' feud with Disney began last year, when the company criticized Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill, which prohibits instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.
In response to Disney's criticism, DeSantis asked the Legislature to remove Disney's control of the Reedy Creek district. The bill the Legislature passed was to take effect in June, but it had flaws, the biggest of which was how to handle Disney's nearly $1 billion in bond debt.
If Disney's ability to tax itself was removed from law, the debt would fall on residents of Orange and Osceola counties.
"Disney is going to pay its fair share of taxes," said DeSantis, considered a potential candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, although he has not declared an intention to run. "Disney is going to honor its debt. That's exactly what this proposed legislation will do.
"If you remember when we first went down this road last spring, a lot of folks in the media were saying that, 'Oh my gosh, Disney is actually going to pay less taxes and Floridians are going to pay more taxes.' They were saying that, and I'm like, 'You've got to be kidding me.' Well, this puts that to bed and so those debts will be honored and those will be paid."
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