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

[Tom P.]

The state government that just dissolved the RCID in order to place Disney under the Orange County government? That's what you're going with? That the state legislature is going to prevent Orange County from taxing Disney just has they had been taxed by the RCID? You feel the Florida state government is going to present Disney with a massive tax break?

I don't think there has been a lot of what you'd call "long-term planning" involved in developing this particular legislation...

 

[lazyboy97o]

The state government that just dissolved the RCID in order to place Disney under the Orange County government? That's what you're going with? That the state legislature is going to prevent Orange County from taxing Disney just has they had been from the RCID? You feel the Florida state government is going to present Disney with a massive tax break?

Orange County has also been very vocal in disagreements with the state and governor on a number of issues. The state just created the mess for Orange County. If they didn’t want to create a problem for Orange County they could have done just that as part of the process. They could have consulted with the counties to see what they would need to absorb the District.

 

[zakattack99]

It seems apparent that the arrangement is mutually beneficial.

Disney has the ability to control building and maintenance on their terms and schedule, and takes on more taxes and expenditures in order to have that ability.

By ending this, Florida is giving Disney a financial windfall in exchange for taking back infrastructure control. Since Disney by all accounts handles infrastructure extremely well, Florida does not appear to gain from this reversal beyond revenge.

Im sorry I have to disagree with the above link... There is nothing RCID or not that could possibly cause Disney TO BUILD ANY SLOWER! I am pretty sure children have been born, raised and have children of their own in the time it took them to build Guardians of the Galaxy! Other than that I think the reporter is doing a great job

Orange County resident here, and I am. I emailed the governor today.

Have you written your local rep? The Governor may have already done the math to a second term with the understanding that he will not get your vote... your local state senator and representative do not have the luxury of a whole pool of people across the state to pull from. Let them know you want this fixed or your going for their job.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

For FY22 - Orange county is expecting $716M in property tax revenue. Do the simple math... if taxes were to go up 20% just for this (which they can't.. but just look at that cite alone).. that would be $143M in new revenue or $179M at 25%. Numbers that not shockingly.. are simply bracketing the entire FY22 RCID Budget number.

These are people simply taking two topline numbers and dividing them. That's not a real estimate... never mind the unrealistic assumptions that nothing changes except for moving the budget numbers.

They aren't estimates - they are people trying to give people kindergardener numbers to make it a 5 second consumable topic and make people fear it.

It's too bad Media didn't start this kind of reporting BEFORE the Gov called in his cronies to make it a law.

Wait??? Are you telling me that Joe Bobb Valentine with a 1/4 acre ranch isn't going to be taxed exactly the same way as the Walt Disney Company by Orange County? Why would the Democrats in local and state government pretend that the average citizen is about to be hit with a massive tax burden if everyone in local and state government knows that Disney will be taxed exactly the same way as they were by RCID (if not worse)? Why would the media pretend Joe Bobb is about to get hit with a massive tax increase if they know it's not true?

/Rhetorical questions, all

 

[lazyboy97o]

Im sorry I have to disagree with the above link... There is nothing RCID or not that could possibly cause Disney TO BUILD ANY SLOWER! I am pretty sure children have been born, raised and have children of their own in the time it took them to build Guardians of the Galaxy! Other than that I think the reporter is doing a great job

The District manages its own construction projects. For example, while Disney projects down for the pandemic the District kept building.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I don't think there has been a lot of what you'd call "long-term planning" involved in developing this particular legislation...

I didn't ask that.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Like I said, you don’t understand this legally. The government is retaliating for statements made. That is not permissible.

Exactly right. They never even tried to hide that fact. They could have tried to repeal by saying other things but they said” you dont agree with me then your going to pay” basically. Thats just flat out wrong.

 

[peter11435]

The state government that just dissolved the RCID in order to place Disney under the Orange County government? That's what you're going with? That the state legislature is going to prevent Orange County from taxing Disney just has they had been taxed by the RCID? You feel the Florida state government is going to present Disney with a massive tax break?

You can’t just double tax specific areas. They are also restricted by how much they can increase taxes by an amendment to the state constitution that was passed by Florida’s voters TWICE.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Taking something away can certainly be a punishment. If your employer provided you with a cell phone for business use and then took it away specifically because you voiced your disagreement with a new policy, then that would be a punishment for your dissent.

Yes, but there was a sizable portion of the commentariat in this thread that was trying to hide-the-ball and pretend RCID wasn't providing a state-implemented benefit to the Walt Disney Company and further pretend that it was actually a benefit to Disney that it was being dissolved. I just wanted to, once and for all, make that portion of our posters truthfully acknowledge that the RCID is a state benefit provided to Disney and (further) that Disney is being disadvantaged by losing RCID.

I'd also be delighted if this portion of the posters would ask themselves why politicians and the media would suggest otherwise, when they know it not to be true ... but I'll take small victories as they come.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Im sorry I have to disagree with the above link... There is nothing RCID or not that could possibly cause Disney TO BUILD ANY SLOWER! I am pretty sure children have been born, raised and have children of their own in the time it took them to build Guardians of the Galaxy! Other than that I think the reporter is doing a great job

Attractions aren't relevant as building those will always be up to Disney, and I imagine there may some purpose as far as how fast they build them in terms of when they want them ready (finishing Guardians quicker doesn't make sense when they want to benefit from a year or so of Ratatouille driving visitors).

So for me, the issue is more about roads and other infrastructure. It may be more difficult for Disney to add capacity for example. Others have pointed out that Disney may pay a premium to have roadwork done at night, but the county and/or taxpayers won't want to pay overtime in order to minimize guest impact.

 

[Dranth]

If Disney would have done that by themselves, it would have made the residents of the surrounding counties very upset. Now Disney gets to play the victim and Desantis looks like a hero to his base. Far out there theory, but I could see Chapek wanting to shfit sewage/water and fire/medical to the surrounding counties.

I'm sorry but there is a very clear reason this can't possibly be true. It would require Bob C. to have the planning and foresight needed to pull something like this off.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

You can’t just double tax specific areas. They are also restricted by how much they can increase taxes by an amendment to the state constitution that was passed by Florida’s voters TWICE.

Why would it be a "double tax" if the RCID is going away?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Why would it be a "double tax" if the RCID is going away?

Because Orange County already levies property taxes…

 

[DisneyDebRob]

It's not that cut and dried. Intent matters. And the courts have ruled as such before. There is clear precedent.

Florida is totally within its rights to decide that special districts such as RCID are no longer beneficial and should be eliminated. However, even though that is a legitimate action to take, they can't take that action for a prohibited reason. If they are taking the action specifically as a way of stifling political speech, it is prohibited. Think of it this way: In an "at-will employment" state, an employer can fire someone for any reason or no reason at all. But even in those states, if you can prove that you were fired because you were black, it is illegal. An action that is normally perfectly permissible becomes illegal because of the intent.

The question, of course, always comes down to whether or not you can prove the intent. Normally that is difficult. However, in this case, since DeSantis and the legislators have publicly and plainly said exactly why they are doing it, I don't think it would be a high bar to clear. You can never be sure what a court will do, of course, but I have a feeling that Disney could prevail on this if they choose to fight it in court.

Perfectly said. Just post this at the top of every new page and maybe it will sink in.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Because Orange County already levies property taxes…

So you're of the belief that the Florida state government will prevent Orange County from increasing taxes on Disney (taxes and fees of all kinds) in order to compensate for the increased services Orange County will now be responsible to provide Disney? Your argument is that the state government will prevent this and thus give the Disney Company a massive tax break? The Republican Governor and Republican State Legislature ... that just dissolved RCID as a punch-to-the-face ... is going to provide Disney a massive tax break by preventing Orange County from raising (and/or implementing) taxes on the various aspects of the WDC?

 

[lordsigma]

Then they also shouldnt get favors, correct?

When your penalty is erasing the loopholes that you bought, then is it really a penalty? Its not like they are being put at a disadvantage or having a basic liberty taken away, they are losing a corporate welfare grant that they had no business having in the first place.

What matters is the intent. And at the end of the day it may be legal - but it's extremely unethical and wrong. It's up to judges to decide if its a legal violation of the first amendment, and the burden is likely on Disney proving that's the intent of the legislation, but it certainly isn't in the spirit of the first amendment and a massive hypocrisy from politicians that often cite themselves as defenders of the constitution.

 

[Brian]

You can never be sure what a court will do, of course, but I have a feeling that Disney could prevail on this if they choose to fight it in court.

But why would Disney fight this in court if they'll get away scot-free with billions in bond debt while receiving massive tax breaks?

 

[peter11435]

Why would it be a "double tax" if the RCID is going away?

Because they already pay property tax to the county

 

[lazyboy97o]

So you're of the belief that the Florida state government will prevent Orange County from increasing taxes on Disney (taxes and fees of all kinds) in order to compensate for the increased services Orange County will now be responsible to provide Disney? Your argument is that the state government will prevent this and thus give the Disney Company a massive tax break?

It’s already illegal. A county cannot levy double property taxes. A county cannot unevenly raise property taxes. The legislature cannot just ignore the state constitution or empower counties to ignore the state constitution. If the state wanted to provide a relief mechanism for the affected counties they could and should have done so as part of the legislation they just passed dissolving the older special districts. They didn’t do it and have made no indication that they will do it. Punishing Orange County is icing on the cake.

 

[yensid1967]

Orange County resident here, and I am. I emailed the governor today.

Y'ALL NEED TO GET TOGETHER! Think of what would happen if Disney World Resort just closed!? NO MORE PROFIT from tourism...BIG LOSS