News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District

Stripes

Premium Member
Based upon Article VII, Section 9(b), millage rate for CFTOD is whatever the "electors who are owners of freeholds therein not wholly exempt from taxation" agree to by voting approval thereof.
RCID was created before this amendment was added. The landowners never approved the millage rate.
Dropped it from 19 to 12.95
The current CFTOD millage rate is 12.95 mills. But it certainly wasn’t 19 mills when the new board took over.
 
Last edited:

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
RCID was created before this amendment was added. The landowners never approved the millage rate

The amendment would apply, no matter when a district was created. Going forward, any changes to millage must be approved per the provisions of Section 9(b). There's no exclusionary language in the section with regards to establishment.

The current CFTOD millage rate is 12.95 mills. But it certainly wasn’t 19 mills when the new board took over

Thanks for catching my typo...it was 13.9. But the new Board did drop the millage.
 

Stripes

Premium Member
The amendment would apply, no matter when a district was created. Going forward, any changes to millage must be approved per the provisions of Section 9(b). There's no exclusionary language in the section with regards to establishment.
Not true.
However, independent special district millage authorized as of the date the 1968 State Constitution became effective need not be so approved, pursuant to s. 2, Art. XII of the State Constitution.
And from the Florida Constitution:
Ad valorem taxing power vested by law in special districts existing when this revision becomes effective shall not be abrogated by Section 9(b) of Article VII herein, but such powers, except to the extent necessary to pay outstanding debts, may be restricted or withdrawn by law.

Thanks for catching my typo...it was 13.9. But the new Board did drop the millage.
Yes they dropped the millage, but only because property values in the district increased more than expenses.

CFTOD is collecting more property taxes than when the RCID board was in power.
 
Last edited:

Just JBC

New Member
Yes they dropped the millage, but only because property values in the district increased more than expenses.

CFTOD is collecting more property taxes than when the RCID board was in power.

Is that based on the actual or projected property values? Because doesn't Disney (and other theme parks) in Florida sue almost/every year to lower the property value?

I wondered when they announced the lower millage if it would come back to bit them if/when the property values were lowered, but I never looked into it.
 

Stripes

Premium Member
Is that based on the actual or projected property values? Because doesn't Disney (and other theme parks) in Florida sue almost/every year to lower the property value?

I wondered when they announced the lower millage if it would come back to bit them if/when the property values were lowered, but I never looked into it.
It’s based on the latest property tax assessment by the counties. Every year, RCID/CFTOD sets aside millions in property taxes so they can give Disney a refund when they inevitably sue the county property tax assessors (and often win).
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Is that based on the actual or projected property values? Because doesn't Disney (and other theme parks) in Florida sue almost/every year to lower the property value?

I wondered when they announced the lower millage if it would come back to bit them if/when the property values were lowered, but I never looked into it.
Challenges to property assessments have nothing to do with the milage rate.

They already knew what assessments were going to be when they set the milage rate. Things get done in that order :) County sets assessments. Taxing authorities set their tax rate based on what they want their revenue to be based on the assessments. Tax payers see bill.
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Why is this guy willing to take a 50% pay cut for this job?
There are... advantages... to being in control of the enrolled voter rosters and the elections themselves if one were to... advantage one's own political party during an important election. So, maybe that's his interest. Or not. Just speculating as much as the no politics rule would allow. A good question to ask him.
 

DCBaker

Premium Member
Martin Garcia is reportedly out at the CFTOD.

"ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The shakeup of Walt Disney World’s governing district more than a year after it was taken over by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees continued Wednesday with the departure of its board chairman who had been highly critical of Disney.

Martin Garcia’s departure as chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is coming a week after the district’s administrator, Glen Gilzean, left to accept an appointment by DeSantis as interim elections supervisor in Orange County, the home of Orlando, at half his district’s $400,000 salary.

Martin didn’t respond to an email seeking comment on Wednesday.

In an email, DeSantis’ communications director, Bryan Griffin, thanked Garcia for “successfully navigating” the transition of the district from a governing body controlled by Disney supporters to the current iteration controlled by DeSantis appointees.

Garcia “developed a new district focused on transparency and the elimination of corporate welfare,” Griffin said.

The Republican governor also recommended that a former senior advisor, Stephanie Kopelousos, be named the district’s new administrator. Kopelousos was a director of legislative affairs for DeSantis and previously served in other administrations of Florida governors.

“We are glad to see her step into this leadership role as the District embarks upon the next chapter in its efforts to ensure an even and transparent playing field for the businesses that operate in Central Florida,” Griffin said."

Full article at the link below.

 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
There are... advantages... to being in control of the enrolled voter rosters and the elections themselves if one were to... advantage one's own political party during an important election. So, maybe that's his interest. Or not. Just speculating as much as the no politics rule would allow. A good question to ask him.

While the CFTOD administrator position paid more, the OC supervisor of elections has significantly more power.
 

Brian

Well-Known Member
Martin Garcia is reportedly out at the CFTOD.

"ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The shakeup of Walt Disney World’s governing district more than a year after it was taken over by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees continued Wednesday with the departure of its board chairman who had been highly critical of Disney.

Martin Garcia’s departure as chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is coming a week after the district’s administrator, Glen Gilzean, left to accept an appointment by DeSantis as interim elections supervisor in Orange County, the home of Orlando, at half his district’s $400,000 salary.

Martin didn’t respond to an email seeking comment on Wednesday.

In an email, DeSantis’ communications director, Bryan Griffin, thanked Garcia for “successfully navigating” the transition of the district from a governing body controlled by Disney supporters to the current iteration controlled by DeSantis appointees.

Garcia “developed a new district focused on transparency and the elimination of corporate welfare,” Griffin said.

The Republican governor also recommended that a former senior advisor, Stephanie Kopelousos, be named the district’s new administrator. Kopelousos was a director of legislative affairs for DeSantis and previously served in other administrations of Florida governors.

“We are glad to see her step into this leadership role as the District embarks upon the next chapter in its efforts to ensure an even and transparent playing field for the businesses that operate in Central Florida,” Griffin said."

Full article at the link below.

Seems highly unusual to me.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Martin Garcia is reportedly out at the CFTOD.

"ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The shakeup of Walt Disney World’s governing district more than a year after it was taken over by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees continued Wednesday with the departure of its board chairman who had been highly critical of Disney.

Martin Garcia’s departure as chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is coming a week after the district’s administrator, Glen Gilzean, left to accept an appointment by DeSantis as interim elections supervisor in Orange County, the home of Orlando, at half his district’s $400,000 salary.

Martin didn’t respond to an email seeking comment on Wednesday.

In an email, DeSantis’ communications director, Bryan Griffin, thanked Garcia for “successfully navigating” the transition of the district from a governing body controlled by Disney supporters to the current iteration controlled by DeSantis appointees.

Garcia “developed a new district focused on transparency and the elimination of corporate welfare,” Griffin said.

The Republican governor also recommended that a former senior advisor, Stephanie Kopelousos, be named the district’s new administrator. Kopelousos was a director of legislative affairs for DeSantis and previously served in other administrations of Florida governors.

“We are glad to see her step into this leadership role as the District embarks upon the next chapter in its efforts to ensure an even and transparent playing field for the businesses that operate in Central Florida,” Griffin said."

Full article at the link below.


What a flagrant disregard for any sort of objective government. The District Admin is just an employee of the district, not any sort of appointee. The fact the Gov's office is acting like this is otherwise is disgusting and shows just how much of a puppet government this is.

Garcia out is interesting... without a replacement named right away? Hope some reporters dig up what really happened here.
 

Figgy1

Well-Known Member
Martin Garcia is reportedly out at the CFTOD.

"ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The shakeup of Walt Disney World’s governing district more than a year after it was taken over by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees continued Wednesday with the departure of its board chairman who had been highly critical of Disney.

Martin Garcia’s departure as chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is coming a week after the district’s administrator, Glen Gilzean, left to accept an appointment by DeSantis as interim elections supervisor in Orange County, the home of Orlando, at half his district’s $400,000 salary.

Martin didn’t respond to an email seeking comment on Wednesday.

In an email, DeSantis’ communications director, Bryan Griffin, thanked Garcia for “successfully navigating” the transition of the district from a governing body controlled by Disney supporters to the current iteration controlled by DeSantis appointees.

Garcia “developed a new district focused on transparency and the elimination of corporate welfare,” Griffin said.

The Republican governor also recommended that a former senior advisor, Stephanie Kopelousos, be named the district’s new administrator. Kopelousos was a director of legislative affairs for DeSantis and previously served in other administrations of Florida governors.

“We are glad to see her step into this leadership role as the District embarks upon the next chapter in its efforts to ensure an even and transparent playing field for the businesses that operate in Central Florida,” Griffin said."

Full article at the link below.

1710351441543.png
 

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
Martin Garcia is reportedly out at the CFTOD.

"ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The shakeup of Walt Disney World’s governing district more than a year after it was taken over by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees continued Wednesday with the departure of its board chairman who had been highly critical of Disney.

Martin Garcia’s departure as chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is coming a week after the district’s administrator, Glen Gilzean, left to accept an appointment by DeSantis as interim elections supervisor in Orange County, the home of Orlando, at half his district’s $400,000 salary.

Martin didn’t respond to an email seeking comment on Wednesday.

In an email, DeSantis’ communications director, Bryan Griffin, thanked Garcia for “successfully navigating” the transition of the district from a governing body controlled by Disney supporters to the current iteration controlled by DeSantis appointees.

Garcia “developed a new district focused on transparency and the elimination of corporate welfare,” Griffin said.

The Republican governor also recommended that a former senior advisor, Stephanie Kopelousos, be named the district’s new administrator. Kopelousos was a director of legislative affairs for DeSantis and previously served in other administrations of Florida governors.

“We are glad to see her step into this leadership role as the District embarks upon the next chapter in its efforts to ensure an even and transparent playing field for the businesses that operate in Central Florida,” Griffin said."

Full article at the link below.


So...bailing...3 years early.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom