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

[Disney Analyst]

The hits keep on coming.

 

[lentesta]

Here is a different view point, it came from WESH:

"I think the argument that we’re probably going to see from the state of Florida is that these agreements were self-dealing," Kramer said. "What Disney is going to argue is that these agreements were done within the laws, within the confines, within what was required of the Reedy Creek district."

If the legal battle ends in the state’s favor, DeSantis promises public safety pay raises and a reassessment of property value to potentially have the company pay more in taxes in Orange and Osceola counties. Kramer predicts it will be a tough case for Disney to win.

"The state of Florida has the ability to legislate and to regulate the district," he said.

As noted in many earlier posts here, the ill-defined term "self-dealing" is probably one of the fundamental purposes of special districts.

 

[LAKid53]

Once the bonds are paid off in the future, would it still be in the interest of the state or Disney to maintain the district, given the size and complexity of WDW?

If eventually dissolved, then perhaps certain CRAs will be set up to help fund projects for WDW.

Universal sits in one.

 

[LAKid53]

As noted in many earlier posts here, the ill-defined term "self-dealing" is probably one of the fundamental purposes of special districts.

I'm sure that holds for all the airport and port special districts in the state.

 

[GBAB1973]

Probably not, but that still doesn't justify the continued existence of RCID. Two wrongs don't make a right.



They still want to sell entertainment to DeSantis supporters. Yeah, it comes down to a hard choice between appealing to blue state residents or red state residents, they would be justified in picking blue state residents, but they don't want to have to choose just yet.

And since it feels in-theme to pull out old adages: you catch more flies wth honey than vinegar.

No one has made a cogent argument as to why RCID should be disbanded. Sure some have pointed out this or that but where's the real argument that can hold up in court that would justify disbanding the RCID?

And more importantly, the Governor and his henchmen in the legislature haven't laid forth substantial reasons for their overreach. I mean DeSantis literally just throws catch phrases out there to justify what he's done - "Pay their fair share" blah, blah, blah.

 

[LAKid53]

What does the new board control?

Not much at this juncture

 

[LAKid53]

100% this. Remove the disinformation, bad faith takes, and outright lies that pertain to this entire situation, and that's exactly what his whole thing is about and comes down to.

To DeSantis, Disney symbolizes social liberalism, which emphasizes diversity, inclusiveness, and equality. Those values are antithetical to DeSantis and how he plans to remake the state according to his worldview. Disney pushing back on his, in my opinion, homophobic law gave him the opportunity to target them in order for Disney to get back in line and adhere to social conservatism. Not the "live and let live just leave us alone" social conservatism, but the more militant and aggressive "we believe everyone should live according to our views" kind.

Which is why this is extremely dangerous, because if DeSantis can control Disney and force them into submission and conformity, he can do this to anyone, businesses, individuals, politicians, judges, you name it. He's already done this by removing elected officials who don't align with his views. He will keep doing this in various ways until he's stopped.

Right now, those are us cheering for Disney are hoping that the courts aren't completely captive and they push back. Otherwise we'll be in no man's land where the law and the Constitution are only as good as who's in power and who interests are involved in having a favorable intrepretation that upends all other laws and contracts. Thats why this is so important and it's not just Disney, and many of us who are critical of corporate power are actually rooting for the corporation to prevail over the state.

There are bills circulating through the legislature that would have an impact on speech in the state.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Disney should never have gotten involved with commenting on the bill,

Disney and Universal SHOULD comment on laws that attack so many of their employees.

 

[GBAB1973]

Here is a different view point, it came from WESH:

"I think the argument that we’re probably going to see from the state of Florida is that these agreements were self-dealing," Kramer said. "What Disney is going to argue is that these agreements were done within the laws, within the confines, within what was required of the Reedy Creek district."

If the legal battle ends in the state’s favor, DeSantis promises public safety pay raises and a reassessment of property value to potentially have the company pay more in taxes in Orange and Osceola counties. Kramer predicts it will be a tough case for Disney to win.

"The state of Florida has the ability to legislate and to regulate the district," he said.

Not sure why he thinks that would be tough for Disney to win. Disney has successfully fought increased assessments in the recent past on lesser merits.

As someone who has dealt with assessments in the past, it actually seems likely that Disney would have an easy case to make if DeSantis just arbitrarily decided their properties need reassessing.

 

[flynnibus]

This has nothing to do with tax assessments with the counties. That’s literally made up.

DeSantis (incorrectly) made this part of his pitch during his PR... claiming that Disney gets to assess its own property values. Which is of course incorrect... but let's not let his stupid comments derail what we all already know.

Most likely DeSantis is trying to play off the idea that Disney sets it's own tax rates... which any normal self-sufficient adult understands is different from your assessed value. But it plays better to the mob if you just munge this all together and claim they get to set their own assessed values.

 

[LAKid53]

No one has made a cogent argument as to why RCID should be disbanded. Sure some have pointed out this or that but where's the real argument that can hold up in court that would justify disbanding the RCID?

And more importantly, the Governor and his henchmen in the legislature haven't laid forth substantial reasons for their overreach. I mean DeSantis literally just throws catch phrases out there to justify what he's done - "Pay their fair share" blah, blah, blah.

One of Disney's many 2022 tax bills...

 

[lazyboy97o]

I get that. I was more curious if this bill is being fast tracked because DeSantis has been told that the agreement cut in January between RCID and Disney likely is valid and legal?

How great would it be if it was signed on May 9th?

 

[LAKid53]

Not sure why he thinks that would be tough for Disney to win. Disney has successfully fought increased assessments in the recent past on lesser merits.

As someone who has dealt with assessments in the past, it actually seems likely that Disney would have an easy case to make if DeSantis just arbitrarily decided their properties need reassessing.

Not to mention, both the state constitution and statutes govern when and how assessments are accomplished by the counties.

 

[LAKid53]

So the state will win by further violating home rule and telling the counties and their independently elected property appraisers how much to assess certain properties within their jurisdiction?

The Legislature has been consistently eroding the Home Rule Powers Act.

 

[monykalyn]

At that same time the City of Orlando was building new roads and highway interchanges for Universal. They also installed a bunch of custom road signs. A few years ago they built a pedestrian bridge for Universal because they were essentially obligated to do once Universal made the request.

And took what? 4 years? Meanwhile Velocicoaster built in just over 2 years? Something to be said for "controlling" your own destiny.

That's a very proper solution. Furthermore, you have the opportunity to put people of the Board who have some expertise in the matter.

Whoa! common sense?? So that is the least likely thing to happen-although I would LOVE for Disney to propose this to shove in governors face: after all he is saying to "even playing field"-how would he be able to spin a proposal like this without coming across as 100% dictator?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

where's the real argument that can hold up in court that would justify disbanding the RCID?

I mean that part is easy. The District was disbanded by an act of the Florida legislature.

There are First Amendment questions about whether the action was taken as State retribution for protected political speech, but in a vacuum, I don't think anyone is disputing that Florda disbanding RCID would "hold up in court."

 

[lentesta]

I'm sure that holds for all the airport and port special districts in the state.

I'll also note that Section 66 of original RCID act, which was in force when the RCID BoS signed the developer agreement, specifically waived the BoS' conflict of interest possibility:

Edit: Fixed typo

 

[el_super]

Why is it ridiculous. If Disney does not have the development agreement the new board...

Even if the new board had the same powers as the old board, they couldn't operate with political impunity. If they did try to exert their will over Disney, they would have to answer to the will of the people at the next election for governor. Their meddling in Disney's business would have been a major campaign issue that Disney would use to get a pro-Disney governor elected.

I think the bigger concern with that was always that the people of Florida didn't have a problem with government intervention into Disney's actions.

 

[lazyboy97o]

And took what? 4 years? Meanwhile Velocicoaster built in just over 2 years? Something to be said for "controlling" your own destiny.

I have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[flynnibus]

I mean that part is easy. The District was disbanded by an act of the Florida legislature.

An act that never got the chance to be tested -- because even the Florida legislature eventually realized they couldn't do it how they wanted. And repealed that act.

And then, didn't disband it, but simply rename it and rescope it. So no, not disbaned by an act of the Florida Legislature.

There are First Amendment questions about whether the action was taken as State retribution for protected political speech, but in a vacuum, I don't think anyone is disputing that Florda disbanding RCID would "hold up in court."

Back to the old 'state created it, state can delete it' arguments... that yes, become cut and dry when you act 'in a vacuum' and remove real world complications.