Governor Ron DeSantis announces legislative action to rebuke Disney’s last-ditch attempt to defy the Legislature and the State of Florida
Press release from the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and members of the Legislature to announce legislative and Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) Board actions to nullify the eleventh-hour agreements adopted by the outgoing Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) with Walt Disney World. These agreements are riddled with legal deficiencies, including failure to provide required notices, and are a blatant attempt by a private corporation to subvert the will of Floridians through shady tactics.
“Disney’s corporate kingdom is over – despite their repeated and futile attempts to circumvent the Legislature and the will of the people,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Their cheerleaders in the media thought that Disney ‘outsmarted’ the state, but the new control board uncovered their sloppy scheme, and the agreements will be nullified by new legislation that I intend to execute. Disney will operate on a level playing field with every other business in Florida. I look forward to the additional actions that the state control board will implement in the upcoming days.”
“The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stands ready to work with Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature on ideas to increase public safety. Nobody wants more bureaucracy and mindless red tape from government, but we should always consider appropriate safety measures consistent with actual risk,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “The Legislature will close a loophole, resulting in a better experience for visitors and residents in the Sunshine State who enjoy our many theme parks.”
Section 163.3241, Florida Statutes (F.S.), requires revocation of a development agreement if the Legislature subsequently enacts legislation that precludes compliance with the agreement. The proposed legislation would prevent compliance with “poison pill” agreements like the collusive agreements executed by Disney and the prior Disney-controlled RCID board. Additionally, the newly established CFTOD Board is expected to take up an action to declare the RCID development agreement void and unenforceable.
Don’t think it was the “will of Floridians” Disney was trying to subvert.
Unfortunately this is going to be fought in the courts and although I agree with the legislation referring to Parental Rights in early grades, I do think DeSantis stepped out of his lane on this one. That is the perception and conclusion many will have no matter the outcome.
Not to say Disney didn’t bring it upon themselves but they did allow a minority of left-leaning employees and activists to influence the company into lambasting the legislation that was voted for and passed by the governing bodies of the state.
I agree with most of your post and welcome your principled objection, since you otherwise seem to like the Governor, though we disagree on what “Parental Rights” are, but in what way did Disney “bring it on themselves”? So a CEO should not be free to criticize legislation and new laws? It’s not like that company in particular does not have standing in Florida, much of who’s economic success and growth over the last 60 years are directly due to Disney, nor is it out of place for him to say anything he wants and especially about something which directly affects many of his employees.
That’s what I love about our Governor….he’s not afraid of the woke dopes and meets fire with fire. He’s not afraid to deal with these fools even if the liberal controlled media will portray him as an evil ogre all the while their loyal Dims steal money to waste on foolishness.
How any supposed conservative can tolerate this attack on a private business by the governor because the CEO criticized legislation he supported is bewildering. He is now using the power of the state, to threaten this business – which by the way has done more for Florida’s economic well being than the governor or any politician in our history – as if it was his personal power and has even admitted he hopes his kangaroo board will make the business change it’s product? You all get how outrageous this is, right? If not, turn in your “conservative”, “individual rights”, “freedom”, and “pro-business cards right now. We cannot let politicians wield state power over anyone or any business to further a vendetta or we no longer have a rule of law, we have a rule of a dictator.
By the way, the Governor has never even had a job in the private sector – look it up – let alone run a business. Now he’s going to tell Disney what to do, what products they will produce, and oh yeah, if they don’t do what he says, he’ll raise their taxes, put tolls on roads going there, and try get his kangaroo board to dictate programming?
You cannot be a serious person who’s not a communist or just a cult follower and agree with this, and the fact that he continues on with this is a sorry commentary on what kind of crap our legislature will swallow and spit out when he tells them to.
Think about it!
I find it interesting how suddenly progressives are pro big corporations.
I don’t know of any other politicians in either party who have tried to take over a business because they didn’t like what the CEO said, but hey, clearly you have no principles and are only governed by your tribal loyalties.
You just referenced the majority of all politicians. Trump ran a business, so there goes your implied rationale but it does provide ample illustration of your own political bias.
Back to the local level, isn’t raising taxes and the attempted rezoning of our local neighborhoods what your locally elected leaders are trying/tried to do? Almost forgot, they also want to pursue reversing the single member districts although a majority of Alachua County voters were in favor of it.
That 1st part makes no sense That’s, maybe you can explain it.
The 2nd part has nothing to do with the truth about Ron. Taxes and zoning are well established as political decisions to be enacted by those who voters elect. Taking over private businesses to redirect their product, to punish the exercise of an opinion by it’s CEO, or using governmental tools like tolls and taxes as weapons in personal vendettas against them are not. You get it now?
In your comment, “By the way, the Governor has never even had a job in the private sector – look it up – let alone run a business,” you seem to make the conclusion he is incapable of running a business.
Most politicians are life long politicians, either they were born into it or they were incapable of doing much else. I believe Joe falls into that category.
To finish, because it’s doubtful you’ll ever get it and I’ll use your own words, “Taxes and zoning are well established as political decisions to be enacted by those who voters elect.” Isn’t that what the Governor elected by the majority of Floridians is doing by suggesting new taxes and rezoning the Reedy Creek District?
You seem to understand that those are tools politicians, elected by the voters, are able to use. Maybe you just don’t like the person welding them.
Taxes are supposed to levied fairly to raise funds fo government expenditures, and not as punishment to individuals or companies for saying something a politician doesn’t like.
I don’t know of Biden or other political leaders trying to take over a private company because their CEO said something he didn’t like. I’d have the same criticism if he did. If DeSantis was president he’d be trying to punish blue states, while Biden has been there for Florida and other red states during emergencies and sending funds in response to Covid. Where do you think Ron is getting the money he passes out?
PS This is just another press release from the Governor’s office, and printing them like they’re news is like reading Pravda in the 60’s.
So temper tantrum DeSantis got schooled by Disney. Now to retaliate he wants to make the roads around Disney toll roads and is dangling a new state prison nearby. Guess he forgot the state can’t staff the prisons it has now and recently closed some in north Florida.
Why is he wasting time on Disney just because the CEO disagreed with him. How about he and the state legislature actually try to fix the home owners insurance crap. Do something other than being a 4 yr old throwing a tantrum.
Someone else thinking the governor controls the insurance rates.
Might as well blame blame someone…
Hey Guest Pest…you do know there was a special session where DeSantis and his lackeys said they would do something about property insurance rates.
Aren’t you the optimistic one. They did, just not to everyone’s approval. In case you missed it, the governor, nor his lackeys, control the insurance companies. Most are run by a board and their concern is showing a profit to their shareholders.
On the other hand, that former mayor you elected…Poe, said he was going to do something about the out of synch red lights. Those are budgeted and controlled by the city, along with the potholes along city roads.
You should go blow on some brass instrument if that’s the best you can do.
Traffic lights in the city and outlying areas are controlled and monitored in real time at a control building on NW 39th Ave between 6th Street and the RR tracks to the east. They are synched as well as possible given competing demands and human operators.
If you believe in the Disney magic you are a fool. Disney claims to be so “woke” but yet they do business with several countries that gay pride is criminal and harsh punishment are given for choice. I think that Disney as well as other Woke” groups need to understand the fact Florida wants you leave the childern alone.