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

[castlecake2.0]

Statement from Gov. DeSantis regarding potential tax increases (bolding is mine):



Full statement: https://www.flgov.com/2022/04/22/go...tricts-and-remove-special-interest-carveouts/

Just to clarify this was a press release from his office but not directly written or stated by the Governor.

Saying that, this basically sounds like they could take away RCID and just reintroduce it as a “new” district?

 

[AEfx]

Ultimately the courts will/may decide on the constitutionality if Disney decides to take it there. Everything here is just speculation (no one really knows for certain), which of course is typically the point of a forum and debate.

Right, which is why the fact this thread has been so dominated by a few people making hundreds of posts, seemingly feeling the need to reply to everyone who has an opinion even slightly different than theirs, repeatedly declaring they know everything about everything and have all the answers, has hampered its usefulness in that regard.

 

[Brian]

Just to clarify this was a press release from his office but not directly written or stated by the Governor.

Saying that, this basically sounds like they could take away RCID and just reintroduce it as a “new” district?

Correct, I wrote that in a hurry and should have said it is a press release since it is not directly attributed to the Governor.

I believe that the "gist" of that part is that there will be a sort-of RCID 2.0 to take on the debt but without the "special privileges." Quotes used because there is debate on this forum if Disney has any special privileges by way of RCID.

 

[Brian]

This is from Gov. DeSantis' press secretary:

 

[Andrew C]

Right, which is why the fact this thread has been so dominated by a few people making hundreds of posts, seemingly feeling the need to reply to everyone who has an opinion even slightly different than theirs, repeatedly declaring they know everything about everything and have all the answers, has hampered its usefulness in that regard.

They may be right at the end of the day...or the courts could have an entirely different opinion on the matter. We may find out, or we may never find out...depends where this goes.

 

[AEfx]

The author of the bill lied in session. He ended up admitting that this is just about Disney. He claimed local residents and jurisdictions would get a say in the process (they did not). These issues of motivation aren’t guesses, they’re public statements. The lieutenant governor said they’d reconsider if Disney apologizes and pledges to change the content they produce.

I didn't say it wasn't about Disney.

Both things can be true. The governors office was looking into getting rid of this long before now, and they also can be bringing it out now because they have a gripe with Disney.

 

[flynnibus]

Many on this forum keep arguing that what Florida is doing is illegal. I don't think what they're doing is illegal at all. Florida had granted Disney special privileges and is now revoking those privileges.

Correct - but that is immaterial to the topic at hand - which is retaliation for protected speech.

That's not retaliation in the traditional sense. Retaliation would be something more along the lines of creating a special tax that only affects Disney.

No, that's not what it means at all. This premise of "its given by the state, so it an be taken by the state" HAS NOTHING TO DO with the evaluation of it being retaliation or not. It has everything to do with --why-- a change is made, not necessarily what change is made. The what change is really only about qualifying if it has an impact and the scope of it. Which isn't really debatable... it has an impact on Disney, and the GOP have said it's for Disney.

 

[zakattack99]

I will buy you a drink if the Gov, Lt Gov, or either the head of the Florida House and Senate can name the other five districts.

Again I say, drinks if this guy can name the other 5 districts.

Regarding this:

Those with legal backgrounds what are the chances he levies a tax on tickets inside the former RCID area to support the infrastructure and debt burden of the former district? Seems like another way to punish Disney and those that support them ie is the customers…

 

[drizgirl]

Again, we will find out if dissolving RCID in this manner is constitutional or not. By dissolving it, they're removing a privilege, they're not infringing on a right available to others. And it's within their power to do so as of today. If it holds up in court then yes, it works both ways. I'm not a lawyer and I'm not going to pretend to be one here so I'm fine waiting to see how this plays out.

That’s OK. Plenty of other posters around pretending to be lawyers for us.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I didn't say it wasn't about Disney.

Both things can be true. The governors office was looking into getting rid of this long before now, and they also can be bringing it out now because they have a gripe with Disney.

If the governor’s office had actually been looking into it and Guinean came to their stated conclusion there was no need for legislative action.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This is from Gov. DeSantis' press secretary:

This is clearly a lie. If there was a plan it would have been in the legislation, not held off for later after the expenses have started.

 

[co10064]

Disney was not granted any special privileges. If Disney built a park in Daytona Beach there are no special privileges they could exercise. Disney can’t even exercise any special privileges if it wanted to build a new office building in Celebration. The powers of the District are not explicitly tied to Disney.

The authors and supports of this bill have outright said it is retaliation. To try to claim otherwise at this point is just lying.

Yes, Disney was absolutely granted special privileges with the creation of the RCID. To say otherwise is disinformation. You can literally read what all Disney is capable doing by being the largest landowner within RCID. None of Disney's competitors, and in general, few to no businesses across the entire country enjoy as much power as Disney has because of the creation of the RCID.

Furthermore, what you and I call "retaliation" in everyday speech is not the same as the legal definition/interpretation of "retaliation." I'm not at all arguing that what Florida has done has nothing to do with recent actions by Disney; what I am saying is that it will be extremely difficult in a court of law to say what has been done here is illegal. When the government gives a benefit or privilege not available to others, it is well within that government's rights to remove said benefit or privilege (pursuant to any contract or initial creation law).

 

[Brian]

This is clearly a lie. If there was a plan it would have been in the legislation, not held off for later after the expenses have started.

Admittedly, this does seem to be a classic case of "shoot first, ask questions later." I don't think the governor's office expected as much public attention to the issue of potential tax increases, given the Friday afternoon clean-up job going on right now.

 

[yellowb]

In the corporate world, a company's viewpoint is the viewpoint that is tolerated by a majority of the company's shareholders. I believe that a majority of shareholders will be speaking soon enough, one way or the other, about whether the leadership of TWDC is accurately expressing the opinion of that majority of shareholders, and whether they tolerate the resulting actions taken against the company due to said viewpoint.

 

[AEfx]

If the governor’s office had actually been looking into it and Guinean came to their stated conclusion there was no need for legislative action.

In your professional opinion?

Because you are making hundreds of posts here, just today, declaring you know the ins and outs of every inch of this, and have the answers to everything - I'm trying to figure out what makes you an authority on this situation? Are we just supposed to accept that you are a world renowned expert on this topic?

 

[Prince-1]

This is clearly a lie. If there was a plan it would have been in the legislation, not held off for later after the expenses have started.

Of course they have no clue what they doing.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Just to clarify this was a press release from his office but not directly written or stated by the Governor.

Saying that, this basically sounds like they could take away RCID and just reintroduce it as a “new” district?

That would be a great example of "sound and fury signifying nothing" - and a great waste of taxpayer money to maintain the status quo. So it's probably exactly what will happen. The governor gets to claim he "stood up to woke Disney" and use taxpayer dollars as a free (to him) campaign ad.

 

[SteveBrickNJ]

Yes, Disney was absolutely granted special privileges with the creation of the RCID. To say otherwise is disinformation. You can literally read what all Disney is capable doing by being the largest landowner within RCID. None of Disney's competitors, and in general, few to no businesses across the entire country enjoy as much power as Disney has because of the creation of the RCID.

Furthermore, what you and I call "retaliation" in everyday speech is not the same as the legal definition/interpretation of "retaliation." I'm not at all arguing that what Florida has done has nothing to do with recent actions by Disney; what I am saying is that it will be extremely difficult in a court of law to say what has been done here is illegal. When the government gives a benefit or privilege not available to others, it is well within that government's rights to remove said benefit or privilege (pursuant to any contract or initial creation law).

I'm glad you are here to state all that you've shared in such an articulate manner.

 

[Brian]

Clearly there is an appetite in the governor's office to address the issue of taxes. Whether that was the plan from the beginning or a response to backlash, I couldn't say for sure, but as evidenced by this and many other recent pieces of legislation, if the governor wants something done, the legislature will follow through for him.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes, Disney was absolutely granted special privileges with the creation of the RCID. To say otherwise is disinformation.

No, Disney is the one who benefits from RCID - They are not powers explicitly granted --to-- Disney and why the powers aren't usable by Disney anywhere else besides their influence inside RCID.

Furthermore, what you and I call "retaliation" in everyday speech is not the same as the legal definition/interpretation of "retaliation." I'm not at all arguing that what Florida has done has nothing to do with recent actions by Disney; what I am saying is that it will be extremely difficult in a court of law to say what has been done here is illegal. When the government gives a benefit or privilege not available to others, it is well within that government's rights to remove said benefit or privilege (pursuant to any contract or initial creation law).

Until they say they are doing it for the purpose of punishing someone for their protected speech. You kinda forgot that part - which is the only part that really matters.