GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
The lawyers don't care about constitutionality, right or wrong, fair or unfair, its about keeping the back and forth going. All The Way To The Bank!
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News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
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MagicHappens1971
Well-Known Member
I think it’s gonna be hard for any judge to rule against Disney. Citizens United is a landmark precedent that covers the 1A argument, the Constitution covers the other arguments, and Disney even cited the FL Supreme Court decision supporting RCID & its public purpose.
Either way this is all very unfortunate for the governor as this is all working against his presidential bid. Stepping into the ring with one of the worlds largest and most beloved entertainment powerhouses while you are mounting a presidential campaign is a poor choice.
I let my Law subscription lapse. It's paywalled.Also two good profiles on some of the firms working on the case: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/busin...2689A38&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=lawdesk
Disney Taps O'Melveny, Wilmer In Legal Fight Against Gov. Ron DeSantis | Daily Business Review
The company said it had been left with no choice but to fight back against DeSantis in the courts, citing a relentless campaign to weaponize government power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint in the federal suit filed Wednesday.www.law.com
Here's a non-paywall article on Disney's lawyers...
Disney Goes After DeSantis With O'Melveny, WilmerHale Veterans
Walt Disney Co. has turned to O’Melveny & Myers and WilmerHale in its lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over what the entertainment company has called “a targeted campaign of government retaliation.”
It still boggles the mind that some think Disney and the RCID created a situation where Disney pays little to no county taxes. The pay their fair share crowd are some of the most ignorant around because on top of basically every media outlet saying that's false, any DeSantis fan can literally look up the parcels on the county website and see they pay property taxes on much of their land.
Yes, there are some tax abatements inside the district. The parking garages in Disney Springs are tax free but those are typical tax breaks that many have under the guise that the development of parking garages serve the community at large by driving retail business (which also, cough cough, pays taxes).
Yes, there are some tax abatements inside the district. The parking garages in Disney Springs are tax free but those are typical tax breaks that many have under the guise that the development of parking garages serve the community at large by driving retail business (which also, cough cough, pays taxes).
Gringrinngghost
Well-Known Member
Retaliation when it involves free speech is a federal court issue. While you can have a state constitutional issue, there is this thing called the Federal Supremacy clause.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
“State subsidized profit center…”
It’s amazing how little people understand history sometimes.
RCID was demanded by Disney because the state couldn’t tie its shoelaces correctly.
Hell, if they had bought the land after 1973…it would have been a Superfund site. I’m not kidding.
“But that was then…”
Remember 3 years ago when everyone was laid off and the joke of an unemployment system couldn’t get anyone paid? Even at their pathetic rates?
They whined for federal money…predictably.
And the insurance policies in the state aren’t worth the email they’re printed on. Due to gross mismanagement.
Maybe reedy can pay for those too?
Sometimes it’s ok to be an idiot in silence without proving it to everyone else
It’s amazing how little people understand history sometimes.
RCID was demanded by Disney because the state couldn’t tie its shoelaces correctly.
Hell, if they had bought the land after 1973…it would have been a Superfund site. I’m not kidding.
“But that was then…”
Remember 3 years ago when everyone was laid off and the joke of an unemployment system couldn’t get anyone paid? Even at their pathetic rates?
They whined for federal money…predictably.
And the insurance policies in the state aren’t worth the email they’re printed on. Due to gross mismanagement.
Maybe reedy can pay for those too?
Sometimes it’s ok to be an idiot in silence without proving it to everyone else
MagicHappens1971
Well-Known Member
Even so, Disneys pays nearly 88% of RCIDs taxes, so their taxes paid for those garages. The technicalities come down to the fact that really municipal bonds paid for those garages and a private company can’t take out municipal bonds, but I digress. As I feel the benefits to FL, Orange & Osceola counties far outweigh any of this partisan nonsense about Disneys tax bill.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Americans have shown a remarkable ability to not understand who is cheating and robbing them for decades.
They know they are being taken advantage of…no doubt…but they pull a 180 before pointing the figure.
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Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
I could see the commissioners from those counties actually showing up and actually saying that in court.
Because there is no debate. There is no dispute as to how central Florida was built.
But remember who they don’t vote for as well?….there’s always that too.
MagicHappens1971
Well-Known Member
Time will tell. As a Floridian I’m considering just getting out of this crazy state
lentesta
Premium Member
Okay, I need to hear this story.
Smiley/OCD
Well-Known Member
If he gets continuous reports of his side not doing well, he will instruct his team to drag out the proceedings until after the primary’s (assuming he does run) so the loss won’t get rendered until it’s too late.
lentesta
Premium Member
Sometimes it’s ok to be an idiot in silence without proving it to everyone else
The corporate version of this phrase is "Thank you for that input." for you kids going out to intern this summer.
MagicHappens1971
Well-Known Member
This is going to be litigated in Federal court, no? Either way the defense can’t just stall without reason.
So when he was pay the same taxes as everyone else does that mean he's going to strip all corporations and property owners of tax breaks so they all are on equal footing?
At the end of the day, this wasn't about taxes. DeSantis and his big mouth and his minions and their big mouths in the legislature made it clear this was done because they spoke out against their bill. Trying to plant flowers on the ground you just salted the hell out of isn't going to play well in court like Ginsberg said. You can't retroactively claim this was to make Disney pay their fair share. And as noted, Disney pays over $1B in taxes annually to the counties, state, etc.
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
Could Disney (WDW) have been a County rather than have a District? If Disney had been able to purchase more land, size matters? Freedom of the press blew it for Disney: "It was a very well-kept secret until late October 1965, when the Orlando Sentinel published a headline saying that the mystery industry buying up the land was Disney! The morning after this headline appeared, the governor of Florida, with the permission of the Disney company, confirmed that it was, indeed, the Disney Company that bought the land."
MagicHappens1971
Well-Known Member
Is this an excerpt from something?
I can’t see why they would’ve made WDW it’s own county anyway, but it’s not like it’s tiny. It’s the same size as Manhattan and San Francisco.
True, by having the RCID, Disney got access to being able to produce municipal bonds as a way to have cheap and readily accessible loans. An advantage that other private companies don't have... BUT...
Let's say SeaWorld says to Orange County: "We need new roads with dedicated bus lanes to support the boom in our business, and since you're the county, you're responsible for providing such infrastructure to a big taxpayer like us."
Then Orange County says: "But our budget is really tight and we can't afford it. And if we take out municipal bonds to bankroll the project, we still won't have enough in our budget to pay back those bonds."
Then SeaWorld says, "Hmmm... how about we pay those bonds over time by paying you a 'fee' for those roads that equals the cost of those bonds over time?"
Then Orange County can say, "OK!"
IOW, a private company can make a deal with their county/municipality for extra service if they pay for it, and the county/municipality can fund it with municipal bonds which is being paid off by the private company's "fees" for that extra service.
Right now Universal is paying extra to the county (or town?) for their new roads with dedicated bus lanes for Epic Universe. And if they wanted to, Orange County can fund it with municipal bonds, which will be paid off with the extra fees it's charging EU for the roads.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
I think Disney knew the secret would get out, they just tried to keep the secret as long as possible to be able to purchase land at the going rate before the secret got out.