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

[lazyboy97o]

There were those reports pages and pages ago that the original passed law didn't actually apply to RCID. Part of me thinks, RCID and Disney were going to respond but just interpreting it that way and doing nothing. Just continuing on as normal.

That would force the state to try and enforce the change as applying to RCID. State police storming the RCID offices, or something like that.

I think I saw where the new law amends the original RCID law. However, did it also replace or repeal the one that was passed about dissolution? If not, was some other new bill also introduced to undo the one that passed? There's all those other districts that were covered by the first one. If this new one is in addition to and doesn't remove the prior one, don't they all still get impacted by the dissolution law?

My question is about the various bond holders, not Disney or Reedy Creek. There was the one negative notice about the bonds, but that was about it. When would we have hit the point where credit agencies and financial institutions actually started to worry? Did they all actually agree that the dissolution does not apply? Did they feel dissolution had to be more imminent before acting?

Looking through very quickly I am having trouble finding where the dissolution law is repealed. As you note later, they’re repealing part of the District charter.

This bill also upholds legislative action that occurred prior to the current constitution, contradicting the original claims for why the dissolution had to occur.

 

[Ayla]

Scott Gustin is following the committee meeting on twitter, if you want to see up to the second updates.

 

[JohnD]

Amendments filed. I knew this would be interesting. Hawkins, the sponsor, filed an amendment revising the boundaries. The Democrats filed amendments making several points.

CS/HB 9B (2023) - Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties | Florida House of Representatives

www.myfloridahouse.gov

 

[TalkingHead]

So, the committee has made it pretty clear there will be no guarantee that the board is reflective of local concerns — is there any conceivable way that this doesn’t wind up in court? TWDC execs must have noticed the recent spate of Florida college and school board appointments, including individuals from outside the state who are completely unqualified for their posts, choices designed to do the administration’s bidding. Hard to imagine a company like Disney signing up for that without any resistance.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Just checking in…

Has anyone changed anyone else’s mind yet?

I guess not.

 

[flynnibus]

Guess this means it's passed committe...

H Reported out of State Affairs Committee

02/08/2023 - 4:09 PM

 

[flynnibus]

claims the amendment on the boundaries was to fix an error..

"On February 8, 2023, the State Affairs Committee adopted an amendment and reported the bill favorably as a committee substitute. The amendment corrected an error in the property description of the district. This analysis is drafted to the committee substitute as passed by the State Affairs Committee."

 

[Drdcm]

Well that’s the problem. Disney for once is a legit “victim” here…they were put in a spot and had nothing to do with the flashpoint

If this were chess. They would be a two-colored pawn.

 

[JohnD]

Guess this means it's passed committe...

H Reported out of State Affairs Committee

02/08/2023 - 4:09 PM

Yes. Not sure if another committee or straight to the floor for 2nd and 3rd readings, debate, and final passage.

 

[sedati]

I want a scene like this:

but it's Disney's lawyers assembling in Florida.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

How soon after final passage of the bill, which will likely happen next week, does the lawsuit get filed?

At this point, Disney’s only remedy is the courts, with a Republican super majority in Tallahassee fixated on doing the Emperor’s bidding, presumably in hopes that he’ll remember them if he ever attains a higher office.

 

[GoofGoof]

Attorney: Disney has strong case if it goes to court over Reedy Creek

A local attorney said the company would have a strong chance of keeping the status quo if it decided to take a case to court.

www.yahoo.com

The interesting part here is the lawyer‘s take on how a conservative court may view this. Many here were assuming the courts would fall in line on a political basis and blindly support the governor but his opinion is a conservative court would be less inclined to support government overreach. A decade ago I’d agree 100%. Now….fingers crossed

I also agree there’s at least a chance that Disney does nothing and there even could be a behind closed doors deal. We could also see a wait and see approach where Disney waits for the new board to “wrong” them and then has an even better case. If the board punishes them we know the governor will take a victory lap and publicly brag about it so then it becomes a slam dunk case.

 

[JoeCamel]

Attorney: Disney has strong case if it goes to court over Reedy Creek

A local attorney said the company would have a strong chance of keeping the status quo if it decided to take a case to court.

www.yahoo.com

The interesting part here is the lawyer‘s take on how a conservative court may view this. Many here were assuming the courts would fall in line on a political basis and blindly support the governor but his opinion is a conservative court would be less inclined to support government overreach. A decade ago I’d agree 100%. Now….fingers crossed

I also agree there’s at least a chance that Disney does nothing and there even could be a behind closed doors deal. We could also see a wait and see approach where Disney waits for the new board to “wrong” them and then has an even better case. If the board punishes them we know the governor will take a victory lap and publicly brag about it so then it becomes a slam dunk case.

The comments are like reading some of this thread without facts for context

 

[lazyboy97o]

Attorney: Disney has strong case if it goes to court over Reedy Creek

A local attorney said the company would have a strong chance of keeping the status quo if it decided to take a case to court.

www.yahoo.com

The interesting part here is the lawyer‘s take on how a conservative court may view this. Many here were assuming the courts would fall in line on a political basis and blindly support the governor but his opinion is a conservative court would be less inclined to support government overreach. A decade ago I’d agree 100%. Now….fingers crossed

I also agree there’s at least a chance that Disney does nothing and there even could be a behind closed doors deal. We could also see a wait and see approach where Disney waits for the new board to “wrong” them and then has an even better case. If the board punishes them we know the governor will take a victory lap and publicly brag about it so then it becomes a slam dunk case.

Waiting for the new board to act in an egregious manner does not provide a stronger case. It really does the opposite and makes for a weaker case. Obfuscating any action with legitimate issues would be incredibly easy. You also limit your case to just undoing the board’s action. Trying to undo the entire changes would be incredibly difficult because they had already been accepted.

 

[flynnibus]

I think disney will fight the new law based on the idea that you can’t simply say something isn’t a taxing district by making it a water management district and then just bolting taxing authority onto it.

The old rcid was a water management district that was basically repurposed and redefined into an independent special district with additional powers. The new law basically says - its a water management district with these additional powers. It’s not the same transition ghat the rcid charter law made.

I need to follow up more on the referenced statutes but that’s what i got from my first skim through

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think disney will fight the new law based on the idea that you can’t simply say something isn’t a taxing district by making it a water management district and then just bolting taxing authority onto it.

The old rcid was a water management district that was basically repurposed and redefined into an independent special district with additional powers. The new law basically says - its a water management district with these additional powers. It’s not the same transition ghat the rcid charter law made.

I need to follow up more on the referenced statutes but that’s what i got from my first skim through

A lot of those additional powers were also delegated by the municipalities. They created two cities so that they could transfer those powers to the District. The new legislation seems to try and disconnect some of that delegation by granting the authority directly to the district and giving it power over the municipalities (which seems to consider cutting off the ability of having assets and authority devolved to the cities before this legislation comes into effects).

Every municipality should be horrified by this bill. It establishes that the state can just create districts that supersede the established local authority. A city can just be consumed by a district and relegated to a rump without any local process.

 

[DCBaker]

Results from the Florida House vote today -

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Results from the Florida House vote today -

You know all the times people here have misapplied the notion that “Walt must be turning over in his grave..?”

Now you may use that phrase.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

Results from the Florida House vote today -

I’ll just say since I assume this will sail through the senate too I’m very intrigued to see what kind of land management, civics, and general local governmental experience these new appointees will have.

Politics aside : Hopefully there’s some semblance of balance between “serious experience” and the “flash-in-the-pan thorn-in-the-side disrupters”. We know there will be some appointees that fall in the latter camp, for sure, since the Governor needs the headline or all this will have be for naught. But here’s hoping (in the event litigation is unsuccessful) for a functioning governable majority with base level understanding of local governance and advancing the basic needs of the District.

I assume behind the scenes a coalition of business, municipalities, and public safety can successfully lobby the Governor/Administration behind the scenes and propose candidates that are going to be in the spirit of good governance.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I think we can all agree that it will most likely take twice as long to get anything done, and cost twice as much, so be prepared for the inevitable price increases to cover the extra expenditures that these government appointed idiots will require of Disney.