Nevermore525
Well-Known Member
In fairness to clowns, they’re actually good at their jobs in a circus!
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News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
- Thread starter castlecake2.0
- Start date
JAB
Well-Known Member
It feels like they're still running with the "attempt to beat Disney in the court of public opinion by concocting a phony misinformation-filled conspiracy to try and make people think Disney is corrupt" playbook, and forgetting that they need to win in "actual" court.I'd love to see the lawyer that would actually put name to paper to suggest legal action against Disney for this one. Maybe it's all a scheme so Disney can sue for expenses and get paid millions in taxpayer dollars for that too!!!
drnilescrane
Well-Known Member
Disney does have a program of gifting Main Entrance Passes - the (formerly colored) Red Pass and the Silver VIP pass - as part of "community engagement" (i.e. lobbying) - which is distinct to the program of extending select benefits to employees of onsite corporate partners.
I'd love to see the lawyer that would actually put name to paper to suggest legal action against Disney for this one. Maybe it's all a scheme so Disney can sue for expenses and get paid millions in taxpayer dollars for that too!!!
Given that the report of the Inspector General will be public record, we'll know.
Might wanna get that digital subscription to the Orlando Sentinel.
Which brings up a funny story. The late president of my alma mater and employer was unhappy with how a certain DSO (direct support organization) was spending the funds it raised. So said president asked the university's internal auditor to conduct an audit. Low and behold, the audit discovered several large (I mean $1M+) checks written to the DSO I was revenue manager for. So she ended up in my office asking about the checks. I told her EXACTLY what they were for, handed her the agreements between the original donor and the original DSO, the agreements (which consisted of emails) between the 2 DSOs that came with the checks and the university budget request to the state for additional matching funds. Along with the state statute. She said "OH...." and left my office. My understanding is that internal audit report never saw the light of day.
So my word of advice to the OCTOD Board of Supervisors? Be careful what you ask for. Especially if you're not familiar with agency inspectors general or the Auditor General's office.
They can't be any spicer than mine.
But they would veer into politics and @wdwmagic has asked we try to stay clear...
Stripes
Premium Member
If the pass was a gift from Disney then that would avoid the issue of the text in the charter.
Not really. Disney was not gifting the passes to the district, the district was choosing to spend part of their budget on employee benefits. The fact that Disney is ultimately paying for it is irrelevant, because it was the district's decision and the board could have chosen to spend that money on other things. And if anyone thinks "But Disney controls the board, so they forced them buy passes for the district employees."... if that were the case, and Disney had that much direct control over the board, why would they need to "bribe" the district with theme park passes?
You know what is a very explicitly-defined (by law) conflict of interest, though? Sitting on the State Ethics Commission while holding a government position.
You expect LOGIC with this group?
Which then would run afoul of gifts to public officials statutes.
tissandtully
Well-Known Member
yeah I do feel like we're disparaging clowns too much on here and I apologize to all clowns
drnilescrane
Well-Known Member
Right. They most likely gifted the old board the Silver VIP passes as plain text of the RCID Charter meant they could do so without a conflict of interest. District employees would have received either Green passes or Blue/Silver paid for as a benefit.
(I think Green meant it was locked to that specific resort - I know there was also some other issue where newer Hong Kong Disneyland CMs had Green Passes with more restrictive rules than opening day CMs with Blue passes)
Local and state executives and legislators get a prescribed salary. And yet, when they run for office, they get lots of generous gifts. Gifts to people who have some sway over the personal interests of the ones giving the gifts.
Yes, it's corrupt and needs reform. But it's not unheard of.
Any sort of criminal charge would have to prove an actual quid pro quo, which has recently been made much more difficult to do so thanks to recent SCOTUS rulings.
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lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Why is the Board only showing a bill from the end of 2021? They claim the total for 2022 is over $2.5 million, but multiplying the provided bill only comes to $2.1 million.
Why not show the bill for the beginning of 2023 before the district was reconstituted? Does it exist but isn’t as high? Or did the District already drop the perk in preparation of dissolution?
Why not show the bill for the beginning of 2023 before the district was reconstituted? Does it exist but isn’t as high? Or did the District already drop the perk in preparation of dissolution?
flynnibus
Premium Member
The act defines a per diem and that they are entitled to travel expenses. It really doesn't forbid or bind other forms of benefits. I don't think there is much there...
The old board *is* the new board!
Defined as such by legislative fiat!
Any "action" the CFTOD would want to take is against itself.
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Figgy1
Well-Known Member
Believe it or not, the state of Florida has limited gifts legislators, agency heads and plain old employees can receive. Anything over $100 had to be listed on annual financial disclosure forms filed the the Secretary of State. Loans are absolutely forbidden. I couldn't accept a cup of coffee and a donut from any permittee who's permit was up for renewal.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
I’d be curious to know how many people who lease land from Disney don’t have some sort of entrance privileges to the parks.
So if gifts over $100 has to be reported ? Like a tipped waiter that made $400 in cash tips on one shift does he/she really report that?
So if gifts over $100 has to be reported ? Like a tipped waiter that made $400 in cash tips on one shift does he/she really report that?
Not a state employee