Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
It has become a recurring pattern that almost no one has any clue what a hornets nest is being kicked here…
…starting with the kickers
-
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News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
- Thread starter castlecake2.0
- Start date
…starting with the kickers
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Wrong. Disney already pays taxes to the county just as any other business does. Those taxes go to funding services in the county that Disney doesn’t use. Disney then pays additional taxes to RCID that goes to cover the services Disney actually utilizes from RCID. Essentially disney is paying twice for those services.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Sometimes you have to wonder what is behind a bunch of new accounts pulling from the same pot of bad information.
Brian
Well-Known Member
Reedy Creek firefighters back plan for state control of Disney district
The union representing Disney World’s first responders says it supports a plan for the state to take control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, as district officials publicly acknowledg…
www.orlandosentinel.com
mightynine
Well-Known Member
Hmmmmm, truly a mystery.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
It’s behind a paywall…Reedy Creek firefighters back plan for state control of Disney district
The union representing Disney World’s first responders says it supports a plan for the state to take control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, as district officials publicly acknowledg…
But lemme guess: it’s 101% political?
Brian
Well-Known Member
I'm sure one of our more technologically-inclined members will come through and link to a non-paywall version.
I didn't take their endorsement as necessarily political, but rather, as job protection. They can be fairly certain that they'll keep their jobs as RCID firefighters under the state-controlled board, but might lose them if the dissolution takes place as scheduled this summer.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Makes sense…
…but I throw that on the fire as yet another reason why they shouldn’t mess with it.
There has still yet to be anything close to a valid reason. And there never will be
On an iPad, you can scroll the article behind the pop up. Reading it one line at a time around the blocking box. It’s short.
It’s a commentary that they don’t like the current contract and assume one with state representatives would be better. That’s it.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Sometimes using the Reader View in Safari can also pull up the text.
So, they think the Florida government would be more accommodating to a union than Disney would.
Interesting.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
What tax breaks? On real estate taxes? I think you are mistaken. Without a special district the services covered by RCID have to come from somewhere. That somewhere would be the local counties. Since Disney already pays the full real estate tax rate applicable to both Orange and Osceola counties (same millage rate as any other landowner there) the additional cost would have to result in an increase in millage rates to everyone or some pretty extreme cost cutting and reduction of services to everyone.
I fully admit I knew nothing about this prior to this issue coming up but I’ve learned a lot from this thread and doing some other basic research. I can assure you that the narrative that Disney does not pay their fair share of real estate taxes is false. Now if you want to talk about state income tax, they did get tax breaks for agreeing to move jobs from CA, but those credits are not being revoked.
flynnibus
Premium Member
cranbiz
Well-Known Member
Either you have poor reading comprehension, are grossly misinformed or a troll.
Disney pays more taxes then most businesses. They pay Orange County taxes, Osceola County taxes AND RCID taxes.
What Reedy Creek gives them is the ability to develop infrastructure without asking the counties "mother may I". It gives them , through RCID, to float municipal bonds for infrastructure projects (such as the Disney Springs parking garages) at a better rate than a business can get. RCID taxes Disney to pay for those bonds, pay for emergency services (which are provided to guests free of charge), pay for roads, for trash disposal and utilities. RCID developed the EPCOT Building Codes, Codes which the State of Florida have partially adopted because they are stricter than the current FL state building codes. Without RCID, Disney could build things to less stringent building codes.
The only tax break Disney got (and it wasn't RCID that got them) is to relocate parts of the business to Lake Nona. If Disney doesn't follow through with that, then they will lose those too. These tax breaks are offered to many businesses to relocate or develop in FL. The tax breaks are not specific to Disney nor RCID.
Without RCID, It's possible that either WDW wouldn't exist or could be vastly different than it is today.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I believe this was posted here 6 months ago but explains where the fire union president is coming from:
Reedy Creek firefighters brace for changes ahead of special district dissolution
Workers in Disney’s Reedy Creek are preparing for what could be a drastic shift with the elimination of the Reedy Creek Improvement District set to go into effect in June of next year.
Based on these reports it seemed like the union was first concerned with job preservation. According to the article, back in April the union was talking to the Orange County fire union about their contract just in case so I assume if they now publicly support a new state run district they didn’t like what they saw and are betting the current contract will either continue with a new district as is or even better it can be improved vs what they would get if absorbed by the counties.
bpiper
Well-Known Member
The Orlando Sentinel just published an editorial on the RCID situation today.
Don’t roll the dice in the dark on Reedy Creek and Disney | Editorial
By Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board
Orlando Sentinel
•
Jan 11, 2023 at 4:25 pm
In five months, the special district that supports the No. 1 tourist destination in the world will cease to exist. What will take its place? That appears to be a secret known only to a handful of people. Among those still in the dark: Local residents and Orange and Osceola county governments, who have the most to lose if the district isn’t carefully designed to continue the level of services needed to support the massive Walt Disney World resort complex) with its 70,000-strong workforce and millions of visitors each year.
A few details have trickled out: According to a notice posted on the website for Osceola County government, Gov. Ron DeSantis apparently intends for the state to take control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s five-member Board of Supervisors, and to preserve the district’s authority “related to indebtedness and taxation.” That would keep a significant burden off local taxpayers. But many local officials still wonder how that will fit into the framework of local government spelled out in the Florida Constitution and state law — or if it’s even possible. With the district’s June 1 drop-dead date rapidly approaching, that is unconscionable.
There’s a lot at stake. The Reedy Creek Improvement District has nearly 400 employees, is home to two municipalities — the towns of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, both also controlled by Disney — and oversees a full array of governmental services including water and wastewater treatment plants; garbage services; roads and parking facilities and more. There’s a unionized fire department, and the district also oversees planning and zoning.
There are so many questions. Under this shift, what will happen to the two town governments? How will the debt be structured, and do creditors have to sign off on the transfer? Will the new district have a full-fledged police department? (Right now, Disney employs a private security force but calls in sheriff’s deputies from both counties to handle official law-enforcement duties).
The biggest question of all is this: Where is the Sunshine? The governor signed the first Reedy Creek bill into law in April. By now, there should have been at least a few public hearings in Central Florida, where local leaders and residents could debate alternatives, offer suggestions and potentially root out legal pitfalls. DeSantis’ office has been unresponsive to repeated requests for updates.
In a statement to the Sentinel, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, described the Osceola County website notice as a procedural step that “starts the legally required timeframe necessary to move forward with developing a local bill to end the self-governance of The Walt Disney World Co., while protecting local taxpayers from Disney’s debts.” Who’s “developing” that legislation? When and where will the public be able to view and comment on this supposedly local bill?
Defuse the time bomb
We’ve said all along that, after 50 years, it makes sense to take a second look at the extraordinary range of power the Legislature granted Disney so long ago. But it’s wrong to allow the governor to cook up a plan in secret and unveil it at the last minute, especially since last year’s legislation was sparked by DeSantis’ fit of pique after Disney executives criticized one of his legislative priorities.
DeSantis can’t follow his tantrum with a “trust me” on Reedy Creek’s successor. And it’s hard to have much faith with lawmakers who don’t show taxpayers their plans until the last minute, as they did with the first Reedy Creek bill and also during their recent special session on property insurance. Sooner or later, the continued rush of major legislation into law, with no time for debate or dissection, will result in a major mistake.
There’s one more thing to consider. After 50 years of corporate control, it’s highly likely that the operations of the Reedy Creek district have become entangled in Disney’s business structure. If company officials haven’t been privy to the plans for the new district, it creates a high probability of unintended consequences. And if they have — well, that’s just as bad as the deal Florida cut Disney in 1967.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
Don’t roll the dice in the dark on Reedy Creek and Disney | Editorial
By Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board
Orlando Sentinel
•
Jan 11, 2023 at 4:25 pm
In five months, the special district that supports the No. 1 tourist destination in the world will cease to exist. What will take its place? That appears to be a secret known only to a handful of people. Among those still in the dark: Local residents and Orange and Osceola county governments, who have the most to lose if the district isn’t carefully designed to continue the level of services needed to support the massive Walt Disney World resort complex) with its 70,000-strong workforce and millions of visitors each year.
A few details have trickled out: According to a notice posted on the website for Osceola County government, Gov. Ron DeSantis apparently intends for the state to take control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s five-member Board of Supervisors, and to preserve the district’s authority “related to indebtedness and taxation.” That would keep a significant burden off local taxpayers. But many local officials still wonder how that will fit into the framework of local government spelled out in the Florida Constitution and state law — or if it’s even possible. With the district’s June 1 drop-dead date rapidly approaching, that is unconscionable.
There’s a lot at stake. The Reedy Creek Improvement District has nearly 400 employees, is home to two municipalities — the towns of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, both also controlled by Disney — and oversees a full array of governmental services including water and wastewater treatment plants; garbage services; roads and parking facilities and more. There’s a unionized fire department, and the district also oversees planning and zoning.
There are so many questions. Under this shift, what will happen to the two town governments? How will the debt be structured, and do creditors have to sign off on the transfer? Will the new district have a full-fledged police department? (Right now, Disney employs a private security force but calls in sheriff’s deputies from both counties to handle official law-enforcement duties).
The biggest question of all is this: Where is the Sunshine? The governor signed the first Reedy Creek bill into law in April. By now, there should have been at least a few public hearings in Central Florida, where local leaders and residents could debate alternatives, offer suggestions and potentially root out legal pitfalls. DeSantis’ office has been unresponsive to repeated requests for updates.
In a statement to the Sentinel, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, described the Osceola County website notice as a procedural step that “starts the legally required timeframe necessary to move forward with developing a local bill to end the self-governance of The Walt Disney World Co., while protecting local taxpayers from Disney’s debts.” Who’s “developing” that legislation? When and where will the public be able to view and comment on this supposedly local bill?
Defuse the time bomb
We’ve said all along that, after 50 years, it makes sense to take a second look at the extraordinary range of power the Legislature granted Disney so long ago. But it’s wrong to allow the governor to cook up a plan in secret and unveil it at the last minute, especially since last year’s legislation was sparked by DeSantis’ fit of pique after Disney executives criticized one of his legislative priorities.
DeSantis can’t follow his tantrum with a “trust me” on Reedy Creek’s successor. And it’s hard to have much faith with lawmakers who don’t show taxpayers their plans until the last minute, as they did with the first Reedy Creek bill and also during their recent special session on property insurance. Sooner or later, the continued rush of major legislation into law, with no time for debate or dissection, will result in a major mistake.
There’s one more thing to consider. After 50 years of corporate control, it’s highly likely that the operations of the Reedy Creek district have become entangled in Disney’s business structure. If company officials haven’t been privy to the plans for the new district, it creates a high probability of unintended consequences. And if they have — well, that’s just as bad as the deal Florida cut Disney in 1967.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
Serpico Jones
Well-Known Member
This is still nothing more than a dog and pony show. Nothing is going to happen.