-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
- Thread starter castlecake2.0
- Start date
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
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Probably also why there is no plan made public.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
RCID was an all powerful self governing district that TWDC fully controlled.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:
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…
This district is a modern district with limited power.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
They are very similar but a community development district does not have quite the same set of powers and authority as the Reedy Creek Improvement District. More notable powers that CDDs lack is being a provider of electricity (they don't get nuke plants) and they do not enforce the building code. Part of the reason though that Reedy Creek Improvement District has these powers is because they have been delegated to the District by its constituent municipalities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista.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:
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…
CDDs also have provisions that gradually shift voting control from land ownership to residency as they are focused around "community development", but there are ways to stall that process.
flynnibus
Premium Member
I'm still waiting for someone to show how RCID has hurt FL tax payers vs the alternatives.
Usually it's a NIMBY discussion.. so RCID is great... you don't have to pay for anything they do.
Or a "Make them pay for it!" -- which is exactly what RCID does.
Forget 'advantages' Disney gets... what disadvantages do florida residents get from RCID being in play?
Usually it's a NIMBY discussion.. so RCID is great... you don't have to pay for anything they do.
Or a "Make them pay for it!" -- which is exactly what RCID does.
Forget 'advantages' Disney gets... what disadvantages do florida residents get from RCID being in play?
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Having the authority to pave roads, generate electricity, pick up trash and treat wastewater is all powerful ????? You and I have a different definition. In my dreams when I become the all powerful king of the world I don't plan to concern myself with any of that stuff
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
In Married to the Mouse I recall Foglesong describing some issue regarding bonds where there was a limit on how much could be issued so the Reedy Creek Improvement District was competing with and winning against other local governments. But like a lot of his arguments, the root problem seemed to be that Reedy Creek Improvement District was too well funded and efficient, so you get the unintentional argument for lower standards instead of raising them. I'm also guessing that we would also find that the Reedy Creek Improvement District was not the only special district eligible to participate in these bonds.
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
Members of the RCID board of supervisors have close associations with Disney. Disney picks who is a resident of the district. TWDC effectively controls RCID.
This is not a bad thing. Board members look out for the best interests of the district. These just happen to mostly coincide with Disney's best interests.
RCID did, on paper, have an impressive array of powers. They are not all-powerful but for a Florida special district, they are pretty powerful.
But this argument is beside the point. The real point is that RCID worked for everyone, including the state, nearby residents, and Disney. There's no good reason to dissolve it.
Last edited:
One nice park some of the Reedy Creek folks have is some of them live in manufactured homes at WDW in a gated area. It is a non descript road across from Saratoga Springs.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I think the nuance that is missing is that RCID was granted those “powers” because there was a real need. Is there another landowner in the state who would actually want a version of RCID over their land? I can’t say no for sure, but most businesses would want nothing to do with that.
State: Hey XYZ company we want to create a special district which will cover your utility and EMS services and will pave the public roads that happen to cross through your property.
XYZ: aren’t those services already covered by the local taxes that I pay?
State: yes, but now they will be covered by a special district that you (as the only taxpayer) will pay for
XYZ: OK, so I will see a reduction in my other real estate taxes paid then?
State: oh no, you will pay the same amount and then pay an extra assessment on top of your regular taxes
XYZ: say what????? Disney can keep their “advantage” I’m good
