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

[Sir_Cliff]

He’s already quietly filed legislation to do away with that.

Florida may be reworking laws to allow DeSantis to run for president while maintaining position as governor

GOP leadership will likely be attempting to rewrite the law as they did for former governors Scott and Crist to allow them to run for federal office while maintaining the flexibility to be governor.

www.wesh.com

Is there any doubt they will change the legislation to suit DeSantis if at all possible?

This is very much an aside, but reading through this thread DeSantis reminds me a lot of a conservative premier (our equivalent of governor) of Queensland, Australia's Florida, called Joh Bjelke-Peterson from 1968-1987. He was wildly popular in Queensland as a pro-business and social conservative premier, but controversial elsewhere due to an authoritarian bent and whispers about corruption. He even launched a loud campaign to become Prime Minister in the 1980s which quickly fizzled. He was eventually brought down by an anti-corruption commission, and the memory of those years of corruption and flirtations with authoritarianism have effectively tanked the conservatives at a state level ever since (holding government for only 5 of the past 34 years) despite the fact they previously dominated state politics.

Interested to see how this story plays out.

 

[GoofGoof]

You noted that Iger stated what Disney was going to spend at WDW in the future. I simply noted that it’s not as much as the $17B over 10 years implies.

Those who remember my posts from years ago concerning WDW financial performance might recall how I documented that Disney had underinvested at WDW for about 20 years. At times, Disney has not even done basic maintenance at WDW despite being the most expensive theme park in the world.

The more recent theme park investments you list barely get Disney caught up to what they should have been doing all along.

I don’t disagree they should be investing more, but again, that has nothing to do with this situation. If the company was occupied with DeSantis while their competitors grow and prosper as the original post I quoted said then they would be adding close to zero jobs and spending less than $17B at WDW. That was my only point. I’m not defending them or implying I think they could not or should not do more.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

This thread is hilariously sad. An entire thread of "expert" know it alls who all know nothing. All only motivated by your own political position.

Dismissing any and all points by claiming they're due to a personal bias, while offering exactly zero actual arguments.

Hilariously sad indeed.

 

[LAKid53]

From a previous post in this thread the current session only goes til May 5th and they have got the budget still to tackle..

I expect they will try to push it through as quietly as possible, but seems like from posters here in FL that media is constantly on the lookout for this specifically so I’m sure we’ll all hear about it.

Florida media descend on the state capitol during session. And given the potential of the current governor running for president in 2024, they will be following this topic very closely.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Oh relax. What are we on the 20th iteration of the same argument? How many times do people have to google RCID to cherry pick the fact for or against their argument. Ultimately it all eventually devolves to the same predictable boring thing.

You’d figure with all the “lawyers” in the thread you’d have a better quality of discussion. I guess that quote from Abe Lincoln I saw on Google was right when he said not to believe everything you read on the internet.

….unmmm…

There really never…I checked…has been a development in Florida that has impacted wdw more. Not superfluous.

I know everyone was all tuned up when they lost fastpass+, dining plan and magical express…
…but that’s just binkies for adults.

This is kinda a big deal

 

[Disney Glimpses]

But they’d be even more valuable if he was allowed to fix Disney’s “obvious” issues.

And that's the weirdest thing of all of this. I don't agree with his characterization of Disney but nothing he has proposed or tried changes what he believes Disney is doing. It's pure retaliation with no goal to actually change anything that he believes is harmful.

 

[LAKid53]

He can push it through real quick, right?

He can.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

He can.

I’m sure the presser is already scheduled

 

[Disney Glimpses]

This type of cultish behavior in government cannot be tolerated. For those of you who support him in this fight because your politics happen to align with him, consider the fact that if he can control all branches of the state government like this, so can someone in the opposite party.

 

[Ayla]

The Governor stole her kids phone and made death threats against his classmates?

Well, I guess that's one way to spin what actually happened.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Florida media descend on the state capitol during session. And given the potential of the current governor running for president in 2024, they will be following this topic very closely.

But will people care, especially in two years? It seems right now the biggest potential issue for those likely to vote Yes would be accusations of disloyalty to the current front-runner.

 

[Tha Realest]

Trying to avoid politics but keep in mind 2016 a somewhat popular FL Governor with a sound record of accomplishment was steamrolled by an upstart candidate “because HE FIGHTS!” Implicit in the prevailing candidate’s message was that the mainstream GOP leadership said one thing when it came to policies and priorities, but balked on stuff like social issues. Hence, the populist type movement that propelled the FL governor’s opponent in that election.

So as not to have a replay of the 2016 primary fight, the current FL governor wants to show “HE FIGHTS! (too).”

 

[Mr. Stay Puft]

And that's the weirdest thing of all of this. I don't agree with his characterization of Disney but nothing he has proposed or tried changes what he believes Disney is doing. It's pure retaliation with no goal to actually change anything that he believes is harmful.

And he wants to force Disney to comply and promote his conservative views, because he can not tolerate any entity, much a less a big and powerful corportion that has visibility, a large audience, and a lot of clout, influence, and impact on our state, to be a visible and clear example of promoting socially liberal values in this state. Which contradicts everything DeSantis stands for. So they must be made examples of.

So if you're corporation that employs LGBTQ people and promotes that as a company value, DeSantis wants to eliminate that because it threatens his agenda to remake Florida into a social conservative state, in every nook and cranny in our society. Politicians like him who have an authoritarian mindset cannot tolerate examples of people, places, and entities that contradict their worldview of how society should function.

 

[lewisc]

Let me clarify the Resign to Run law. If not changed by the Legislature during THIS current session, the governor will have to submit his resignation from his current office at least 10 days prior to when qualifying opens for the office he seeks. That resignation takes effect on the earliest of either the day he takes office or his successor takes office. It's not an immediate resignation and out of office situation.

Other people have a different interpretation, just read the article linked.

If your interpretation is correct there wouldn't be a need to change the law.

It's a moot point, legislation can go through in minutes, slight exaggeration

 

[asianway]

The roads that serve WDW are mostly owned and controlled by RCID and the new board would have to impose these tolls right? So wouldn’t the toll revenue go to the district and not the state? If the toll revenue went to the district and the district has to maintain a mostly balanced budget wouldn’t this actually result in a decrease in Disney’s tax bill?

As far as hotel taxes go for the local portion isn’t it the county that collects that tax? I don’t think the Governor can change that it would have to come from the county. Even if they add an additional local hotel tax collected by the district I think he has the same problem as tolls then. For the State portion of the hotel tax is it possible to only raise hotel taxes on specific hotels? Wouldn’t he need to raise state hotel taxes on all hotels in the state?

There has been ongoing controversy in Florida for years regarding taxability of the components of bundled hotel packages state rate vs TAT vs non taxable. This would not only affect Disney but other travel “shell” companies in Florida. This is what he’s speaking of.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

He can push it through real quick, right?

He can, and he will. I’m sure they’re hoping it’ll get lost in the hullabaloo the last weeks of the session are sure to bring, with the budget still looming.

 

[Tha Realest]

Well, I guess that's one way to spin what actually happened.

On the one hand you have numerous former classmates of RJ’s son (he’s being homeschooled now, coincidentally) and threatening messages which predate her latest lawsuit.

And on the other hand you have RJ, who’s proven over and over again to be highly non-credible.

But you seem awfully confident of what really happened here.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This type of cultish behavior in government cannot be tolerated. For those of you who support him in this fight because your politics happen to align with him, consider the fact that if he can control all branches of the state government like this, so can someone in the opposite party.

…game
……set
………Match

 

[sullyinMT]

Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if he's intentionally setting himself up to lose in court just so he can shrug and say "well, I tried."

I also wonder if he's shocked that Disney, or the former RCID board, hasn't taken direct legal action against the state. He continues to throw chum in the water hoping for a bite, and they (TWDC) isn't taking the bait. I'd love to see someone with Disney's might stand up to this action, and as a lay person I believe their legal case is strong. Yet being in a politically charged legal battle where the narrative to the uninformed is that Disney just wants to be a self-sovereign tax advantaged quasi-government seems to a non-starter in Burbank for now. I was really disappointed that Disney didn't come out swinging, but right now they're the adult in the room while Ron and Co continue to build a case against themselves.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Trying to avoid politics but keep in mind 2016 a somewhat popular FL Governor with a sound record of accomplishment was steamrolled by an upstart candidate “because HE FIGHTS!” Implicit in the prevailing candidate’s message was that the mainstream GOP leadership said one thing when it came to policies and priorities, but balked on stuff like social issues. Hence, the populist type movement that propelled the FL governor’s opponent in that election.

So as not to have a replay of the 2016 primary fight, the current FL governor wants to show “HE FIGHTS! (too).”

I think it has been a bad battle to pick, though. Lashing out at Disney World just makes him look like a petty and petulant wannabe tyrant and his main opponent look positively statesmanlike. For those beyond the fringes who just want to "own" their opponents, threatening to introduce tollroads to Disney World or build on land around them because they defied you doesn't even seem like a particularly effective way to win the culture wars.

Honestly, I think he backed himself into a corner with his initial promise to abolish RCID without any plan for how to do it and is having to expend political capital on a battle that isn't actually beneficial to him politically. Who wants to be going into the presidential primaries as the guy who looks obsessed with taking revenge on Mickey Mouse?

It gives some hint that he may not be quite the political strategist that some imagine him to be with all the implications that has for the presidential nomination.