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

[LAKid53]

‘CORPORATE KINGDOM’: DeSantis-backed plan to take control of Disney's land announced

Planned legislation pushed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis aims to replace Disney World's self-governing power with a state-run board comprised of appointees.

www.foxnews.com

It references a public notice on the Osceola County website. Things are beginning to move. The Florida Legislative Session begins March 7.

That's nice. However, we taxpayers in both Orange and Osceola counties will have to pick up the tab for the services TWDC was paying RCID to provide. Because you can't, under FL Constitution, tax a property owner more than others in the same county, unless...you set up a special district. It wasn't broken. It was a win-win for both TWDC & property owners in both counties.

 

[JohnD]

That's nice. However, we taxpayers in both Orange and Osceola counties will have to pick up the tab for the services TWDC was paying RCID to provide. Because you can't, under FL Constitution, tax a property owner more than others in the same county, unless...you set up a special district. It wasn't broken. It was a win-win for both TWDC & property owners in both counties.

Not arguing. Just providing the info. In the article, the claim is that Disney will pick up the tab and not the counties.

 

[LAKid53]

Not arguing. Just providing the info. In the article, the claim is that Disney will pick up the tab and not the counties.

For the bonds...

Under the current RCID, TWDC pays RCID to provide waste, water and road maintenance, including public roads (the ones with the green signs). We taxpayers aren't taxed to cover those services. TWDC also pays regular property taxes, just like the rest of us who own homes in the counties do. As I said, you cannot tax a property owner differently than other property owners, unless a special district is created. Which is what most special districts in the state are...special taxing authorities.

There are so many issues with a governor appointed special district that impacts a major private property owner in the state which is (1) the largest single site employer and (2) contributes at least 50% of the state's tourism revenues.

I get to vote for the board members of the water management district my house is located in. Will TWDC have any input into board member selections who will have a significant financial impact on its Florida operation?

 

[danlb_2000]

For the bonds.

The statement in the article does not limit it to bonds...

"The governor is doing exactly what he said he would," DeSanis' former chief of staff, Adrian Lukis, told Fox News. "Disney can no longer have its own government and own taxing authority, and Disney — not taxpayers — will have to be responsible for any financial consequences."

 

[LAKid53]

The statement in the article does not limit it to bonds...

"The governor is doing exactly what he said he would," DeSanis' former chief of staff, Adrian Lukis, told Fox News. "Disney can no longer have its own government and own taxing authority, and Disney — not taxpayers — will have to be responsible for any financial consequences."

I repeat, it wasn't broken. The current RCID arrangement was a benefit for both TWDC and we property owners.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Again, he’s temporary. Disney isn’t. Next Governor of either party will fix it.

 

[lazyboy97o]

So why would any landowners in this proposed District agree to it? Will Biden approve of this? Target? Hotel owners? CVS?

 

[Surferboy567]

What happened to the proposed compromise?

I really don’t know much about special districts or the politics of it and don’t really want to get into that but I thought a deal could have been reached. Namely to dissolve the district but then to re-form it with less crazy privileges.

Aren’t they making a new special district for the sun rail train?

 

[jinx8402]

The statement in the article does not limit it to bonds...

"The governor is doing exactly what he said he would," DeSanis' former chief of staff, Adrian Lukis, told Fox News. "Disney can no longer have its own government and own taxing authority, and Disney — not taxpayers — will have to be responsible for any financial consequences."

That statement is not even compatible with itself. Disney can't have it's own taxing authority to pay for it's special requirements for infrastructure but they will be responsible for paying for that infrastructure through special taxing to pay for those financial consequences. Almost as the special taxing authority was doing its job.

Lol.

 

[lazyboy97o]

What happened to the proposed compromise?

I really don’t know much about special districts or the politics of it and don’t really want to get into that but I thought a deal could have been reached. Namely to dissolve the district but then to re-form it with less crazy privileges.

Aren’t they making a new special district for the sun rail train?

This is the “compromise”.

What crazy privileges are an issue and we’re being abused?

Yes, a new district is being proposed to support the proposed SunRail expansion. Florida has hundreds of special districts.

 

[Surferboy567]

This is the “compromise”.

What crazy privileges are an issue and we’re being abused?

Yes, a new district is being proposed to support the proposed SunRail expansion. Florida has hundreds of special districts.

I support Reedy Creek.

I thought the governor maybe would have backed off or soften his dissolution plans going off reports. No privileges were abused.

As for “crazy privileges”, I saw the nuclear power plant privilege talked about the most. Which Disney was never going to build anyway since they are heavy into solar. They also wouldn’t build one even if they weren’t.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I would say controlling your own zoning a pretty big “privilege”.

I would say hundreds of billions of dollars of sales tax to pay for things the residents show no interest in paying for more than offsets

 

[lazyboy97o]

I support Reedy Creek.

I thought the governor maybe would have backed off or soften his dissolution plans going off reports. No privileges were abused.

As for “crazy privileges”, I saw the nuclear power plant privilege talked about the most. Which Disney was never going to build anyway since they are heavy into solar. They also wouldn’t build one even if they weren’t.

Reedy Creek Improvement District is not what allowed Disney as a private company to build and operate a nuclear power plant. Both of Florida’s nuclear power plants are privately owned.

Reedy Creek Improvement District, as a political entity that provides electrical services is allowed to use nuclear, no different than Orange County or Orlando.

 

[Surferboy567]

I would say hundreds of billions of dollars of sales tax to pay for things the residents show no interest in paying for more than offsets

I was about to say this, I’ve spent so much money over the years in Orlando as a direct result of Disney. The state has more than benefited.

They act as if that isn’t valuable to them.

EDIT: I’d wager that it isn’t just me either.

 

[monothingie]

I would say hundreds of billions of dollars of sales tax to pay for things the residents show no interest in paying for more than offsets

So then what changes with the new legislation? It seems like everyone is complaining before anyone has done any analysis. But again I think it’s more political than anything else.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I would say controlling your own zoning a pretty big “privilege”.

No, it really is not. There are no planning reviews for attractions at Universal Orlando Resort because it is zoned as a planned development that effectively gives them control of their zoning. SeaWorld Orlando is similarly zoned. Many large housing developments also get such a zoning.

 

[lazyboy97o]

So then what changes with the new legislation? It seems like everyone is complaining before anyone has done any analysis. But again I think it’s more political than anything else.

The most benign change is additional do-nothing board members. Political appointees who get to collect a check for doing nothing.

The governor having true control would mean all infrastructure serving Walt Disney World would be at the whim of the office holder’s appointees.

 

[Surferboy567]

I guess a different question. Is Disney going to sue? It seems like they were trying to avoid this.

 

[mmascari]

Bold from me.

Reedy Creek Improvement District

Notice is hereby given of intent to seek legislation before the Florida Legislature, during a regular, extended, or special session, of an act relating to the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties; amending, reenacting, and repealing Chapter 67-764, Laws of Florida, and decree in chancery no. 66-1061 (May 13, 1966); removing and revising powers of the District; increasing state oversight, accountability, and transparency of the District; revising the selection process, membership qualifications, and compensation for the governing body of the District; ensuring debts and bond obligations held by the District remain with the District and are not transferred to other governments by retaining the District’s authority related to indebtedness and taxation; revising the District’s authority over local permitting and regulation; revising the District’s regulatory framework and structure; instituting reporting requirements, including a review of the District’s remaining powers; describing the District boundaries and name; revising exceptions to general law and certain special acts; removing duplicative provisions; making conforming changes; creating an exception to general law; providing an effective date.

I'm sure someone posted earlier, but I thought the people in a district had to vote on on changes to the districts powers and structures.

Using this an example, if the state can just rewrite the district definition and impose new governance without any vote of the impacted people, what stops the state from doing the same to a town or city? Could the state just decide that a mayor should be state appointed? Perhaps a town council have majority state members instead of elections? Or, whatever FL uses for local governace.

 

[Surferboy567]

This was discussed at great length earlier on this thread.

The consensus was that Disney had rock solid grounds to sue as a First Amendment violation.

I saw that, from there it seems like things have escalated and the plan to dissolve is not backing down. They have tried to avoid suing and “played nice” it doesn’t seem to have yielded them any results.

With this new update the question becomes upon seeing this news. Do they now sue? They can absolutely use the first amendment as grounds. The question is will they? Do they not intend to try and fight this?