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News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
- Thread starter castlecake2.0
- Start date
On an iPad, you can scroll the article behind the pop up. Reading it one line at a time around the blocking box. It’s short.
It’s a commentary that they don’t like the current contract and assume one with state representatives would be better. That’s it.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Sometimes using the Reader View in Safari can also pull up the text.
So, they think the Florida government would be more accommodating to a union than Disney would.
Interesting.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
What tax breaks? On real estate taxes? I think you are mistaken. Without a special district the services covered by RCID have to come from somewhere. That somewhere would be the local counties. Since Disney already pays the full real estate tax rate applicable to both Orange and Osceola counties (same millage rate as any other landowner there) the additional cost would have to result in an increase in millage rates to everyone or some pretty extreme cost cutting and reduction of services to everyone.
I fully admit I knew nothing about this prior to this issue coming up but I’ve learned a lot from this thread and doing some other basic research. I can assure you that the narrative that Disney does not pay their fair share of real estate taxes is false. Now if you want to talk about state income tax, they did get tax breaks for agreeing to move jobs from CA, but those credits are not being revoked.
flynnibus
Premium Member
cranbiz
Well-Known Member
Either you have poor reading comprehension, are grossly misinformed or a troll.
Disney pays more taxes then most businesses. They pay Orange County taxes, Osceola County taxes AND RCID taxes.
What Reedy Creek gives them is the ability to develop infrastructure without asking the counties "mother may I". It gives them , through RCID, to float municipal bonds for infrastructure projects (such as the Disney Springs parking garages) at a better rate than a business can get. RCID taxes Disney to pay for those bonds, pay for emergency services (which are provided to guests free of charge), pay for roads, for trash disposal and utilities. RCID developed the EPCOT Building Codes, Codes which the State of Florida have partially adopted because they are stricter than the current FL state building codes. Without RCID, Disney could build things to less stringent building codes.
The only tax break Disney got (and it wasn't RCID that got them) is to relocate parts of the business to Lake Nona. If Disney doesn't follow through with that, then they will lose those too. These tax breaks are offered to many businesses to relocate or develop in FL. The tax breaks are not specific to Disney nor RCID.
Without RCID, It's possible that either WDW wouldn't exist or could be vastly different than it is today.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I believe this was posted here 6 months ago but explains where the fire union president is coming from:
Reedy Creek firefighters brace for changes ahead of special district dissolution
Workers in Disney’s Reedy Creek are preparing for what could be a drastic shift with the elimination of the Reedy Creek Improvement District set to go into effect in June of next year.
Based on these reports it seemed like the union was first concerned with job preservation. According to the article, back in April the union was talking to the Orange County fire union about their contract just in case so I assume if they now publicly support a new state run district they didn’t like what they saw and are betting the current contract will either continue with a new district as is or even better it can be improved vs what they would get if absorbed by the counties.
bpiper
Well-Known Member
The Orlando Sentinel just published an editorial on the RCID situation today.
Don’t roll the dice in the dark on Reedy Creek and Disney | Editorial
By Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board
Orlando Sentinel
•
Jan 11, 2023 at 4:25 pm
In five months, the special district that supports the No. 1 tourist destination in the world will cease to exist. What will take its place? That appears to be a secret known only to a handful of people. Among those still in the dark: Local residents and Orange and Osceola county governments, who have the most to lose if the district isn’t carefully designed to continue the level of services needed to support the massive Walt Disney World resort complex) with its 70,000-strong workforce and millions of visitors each year.
A few details have trickled out: According to a notice posted on the website for Osceola County government, Gov. Ron DeSantis apparently intends for the state to take control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s five-member Board of Supervisors, and to preserve the district’s authority “related to indebtedness and taxation.” That would keep a significant burden off local taxpayers. But many local officials still wonder how that will fit into the framework of local government spelled out in the Florida Constitution and state law — or if it’s even possible. With the district’s June 1 drop-dead date rapidly approaching, that is unconscionable.
There’s a lot at stake. The Reedy Creek Improvement District has nearly 400 employees, is home to two municipalities — the towns of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, both also controlled by Disney — and oversees a full array of governmental services including water and wastewater treatment plants; garbage services; roads and parking facilities and more. There’s a unionized fire department, and the district also oversees planning and zoning.
There are so many questions. Under this shift, what will happen to the two town governments? How will the debt be structured, and do creditors have to sign off on the transfer? Will the new district have a full-fledged police department? (Right now, Disney employs a private security force but calls in sheriff’s deputies from both counties to handle official law-enforcement duties).
The biggest question of all is this: Where is the Sunshine? The governor signed the first Reedy Creek bill into law in April. By now, there should have been at least a few public hearings in Central Florida, where local leaders and residents could debate alternatives, offer suggestions and potentially root out legal pitfalls. DeSantis’ office has been unresponsive to repeated requests for updates.
In a statement to the Sentinel, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, described the Osceola County website notice as a procedural step that “starts the legally required timeframe necessary to move forward with developing a local bill to end the self-governance of The Walt Disney World Co., while protecting local taxpayers from Disney’s debts.” Who’s “developing” that legislation? When and where will the public be able to view and comment on this supposedly local bill?
Defuse the time bomb
We’ve said all along that, after 50 years, it makes sense to take a second look at the extraordinary range of power the Legislature granted Disney so long ago. But it’s wrong to allow the governor to cook up a plan in secret and unveil it at the last minute, especially since last year’s legislation was sparked by DeSantis’ fit of pique after Disney executives criticized one of his legislative priorities.
DeSantis can’t follow his tantrum with a “trust me” on Reedy Creek’s successor. And it’s hard to have much faith with lawmakers who don’t show taxpayers their plans until the last minute, as they did with the first Reedy Creek bill and also during their recent special session on property insurance. Sooner or later, the continued rush of major legislation into law, with no time for debate or dissection, will result in a major mistake.
There’s one more thing to consider. After 50 years of corporate control, it’s highly likely that the operations of the Reedy Creek district have become entangled in Disney’s business structure. If company officials haven’t been privy to the plans for the new district, it creates a high probability of unintended consequences. And if they have — well, that’s just as bad as the deal Florida cut Disney in 1967.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
Don’t roll the dice in the dark on Reedy Creek and Disney | Editorial
By Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board
Orlando Sentinel
•
Jan 11, 2023 at 4:25 pm
In five months, the special district that supports the No. 1 tourist destination in the world will cease to exist. What will take its place? That appears to be a secret known only to a handful of people. Among those still in the dark: Local residents and Orange and Osceola county governments, who have the most to lose if the district isn’t carefully designed to continue the level of services needed to support the massive Walt Disney World resort complex) with its 70,000-strong workforce and millions of visitors each year.
A few details have trickled out: According to a notice posted on the website for Osceola County government, Gov. Ron DeSantis apparently intends for the state to take control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s five-member Board of Supervisors, and to preserve the district’s authority “related to indebtedness and taxation.” That would keep a significant burden off local taxpayers. But many local officials still wonder how that will fit into the framework of local government spelled out in the Florida Constitution and state law — or if it’s even possible. With the district’s June 1 drop-dead date rapidly approaching, that is unconscionable.
There’s a lot at stake. The Reedy Creek Improvement District has nearly 400 employees, is home to two municipalities — the towns of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, both also controlled by Disney — and oversees a full array of governmental services including water and wastewater treatment plants; garbage services; roads and parking facilities and more. There’s a unionized fire department, and the district also oversees planning and zoning.
There are so many questions. Under this shift, what will happen to the two town governments? How will the debt be structured, and do creditors have to sign off on the transfer? Will the new district have a full-fledged police department? (Right now, Disney employs a private security force but calls in sheriff’s deputies from both counties to handle official law-enforcement duties).
The biggest question of all is this: Where is the Sunshine? The governor signed the first Reedy Creek bill into law in April. By now, there should have been at least a few public hearings in Central Florida, where local leaders and residents could debate alternatives, offer suggestions and potentially root out legal pitfalls. DeSantis’ office has been unresponsive to repeated requests for updates.
In a statement to the Sentinel, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, described the Osceola County website notice as a procedural step that “starts the legally required timeframe necessary to move forward with developing a local bill to end the self-governance of The Walt Disney World Co., while protecting local taxpayers from Disney’s debts.” Who’s “developing” that legislation? When and where will the public be able to view and comment on this supposedly local bill?
Defuse the time bomb
We’ve said all along that, after 50 years, it makes sense to take a second look at the extraordinary range of power the Legislature granted Disney so long ago. But it’s wrong to allow the governor to cook up a plan in secret and unveil it at the last minute, especially since last year’s legislation was sparked by DeSantis’ fit of pique after Disney executives criticized one of his legislative priorities.
DeSantis can’t follow his tantrum with a “trust me” on Reedy Creek’s successor. And it’s hard to have much faith with lawmakers who don’t show taxpayers their plans until the last minute, as they did with the first Reedy Creek bill and also during their recent special session on property insurance. Sooner or later, the continued rush of major legislation into law, with no time for debate or dissection, will result in a major mistake.
There’s one more thing to consider. After 50 years of corporate control, it’s highly likely that the operations of the Reedy Creek district have become entangled in Disney’s business structure. If company officials haven’t been privy to the plans for the new district, it creates a high probability of unintended consequences. And if they have — well, that’s just as bad as the deal Florida cut Disney in 1967.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
Serpico Jones
Well-Known Member
This is still nothing more than a dog and pony show. Nothing is going to happen.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Things have already happened. The legislature has also been increasingly deferential and there is nothing to suggest that they will oppose this plan. Even if the end result is the status quo getting there will come with a cost.
Oh, that's what he's *going to do*.
The thing he already said he was going to do.
The thing that was supposed to be already done from a previous passed law.
And throw it into the legislature's lap to decide how to do it without actually explaining to them exactly how to do it.
So, the legislature's going to do it.
I'm sure what the legislature comes up with will be beyond reproach juridically.
Surferboy567
Well-Known Member
They have to fight this. At this point, I really think regardless of PR they should take this to the courts. They shouldn’t roll over and take this.
NotCalledBob
Well-Known Member
I think they will.
Didn't D'Amaro say during the Theme Park Insider interview. 'We're watching, we're watching.'
Last edited by a moderator:
GoofGoof
Premium Member
It’s a fair argument to just dissolve RCID (and by extension any other special district) altogether and let Disney operate like any other corporation in the state. If that was done then the services provided by RCID today to WDW would be absorbed by the local counties just like they are for Sea World or Universal. Disney may get a large tax break out of it but the local taxpayers would suffer and services would be reduced for everyone.
The fact of the matter is RCID is not detrimental to “the people“ in any way. It provides a tax savings to the local taxpayers and Disney gets the benefit of controlling the services provided but that comes at a cost in excess taxes. Disney pays for their control.
On the topic of treating Disney like any other corporation, RCID covers 25,000 acres with 175 miles of roadway and 67 miles of waterway and the area contains over 40,000 hotel rooms. There is no other corporation remotely close to being “like Disney” in the state. Is that a bad thing? Nobody seemed to complain as the state/region grew to be one of the top tourist destinations in the country. With that size comes the burden of infrastructure to support it and I actually think it would be unfair to ask local taxpayers or “the people” to foot the bill. With RCID Disney pays the bills through taxes and passes the cost on to guests.
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
All very good points. And as the infrastructure falls into disrepair, who will they blame?
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
So why not get rid of all of the similar districts? It seems you don’t actually understand how the District and many others operate.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
As a paying guest most will blame Disney. They won’t understand the difference. That’s the reason Disney is willing to pay more taxes to keep control. The narrative that somehow RCID helps Disney pay less in taxes is completely false as well as the narrative that they somehow use the district to avoid zoning/code enforcement. The biggest benefit to Disney is they control the quality of services provided and they avoid the bureaucracy of waiting for the local county to “get around“ to stuff. They can also finance projects using municipal debt and pay for them over years through tax payments.
Polkadotdress
Well-Known Member
Help me understand what I’m reading in this article about the Brightline railway. Specifically, there is a line in this article that states this:
“Universal would also be in control of a proposed special taxing district that will build and operate a SunRail station at the Orange County Convention Center.”
How is that any different from the Reedy Creek district/control?
Article here:
www.orlandosentinel.com
“Universal would also be in control of a proposed special taxing district that will build and operate a SunRail station at the Orange County Convention Center.”
How is that any different from the Reedy Creek district/control?
Article here:
Brightline plan is short one passenger — Disney | Editorial
Brightline trains will arrive on the Central Florida stage sometime this year, with service linking South Florida to the Orlando International Airport — and a plan that would extend service t…
www.orlandosentinel.com