DeSantis Takes On Disney’s Special Land Use Privileges: Time To Level The Playing Field

Governor DeSantis signed a proclamation today that calls on the Florida legislature to consider repealing special districts created before 1969, which would include Disney’s Reed Creek Improvement District.

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis asked the state’s legislature on Tuesday to consider ending special tax districts established before 1968, including one that effectively lets Disney govern the land its theme parks are built on https://t.co/dl4Q3IGl2c

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) April 19, 2022

Disney will lose its quasi-government status to operate its Florida resort if special districts are terminated.

As DeSantis put it, Disney “crossed the line” this year when Disney decided to challenge Florida’s Parental Rights In Education law, which limits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Within an hour of the signing of the Parental Rights law, Disney released the following statement on Twitter:

Statement from The Walt Disney Company on signing of Florida legislation: pic.twitter.com/UVI7Ko3aKS

— The Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) March 28, 2022

With regard to Disney’s special privileges in Florida, DeSantis had this to say:

Over many, many, decades, where they have gotten essentially this one corporation put on a pedestal, and treated differently. And so that is something that I know [law makers] are scrutinizing. But it’s really going to be up to the Legislature to re-evaluate,” said the Governor. “I can tell you, just as a matter of first principal, if you didn’t have lobbying heft, and you didn’t have a lot of influence, I think a lot of those things that have accumulated over the years would probably not be justifiable.

Governor DeSantis made the announcement this morning:

In addition to congressional reapportionment, this week's special session will include termination of legacy special districts and removal of exemptions from the big tech accountability law. pic.twitter.com/67sF4E113I

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 19, 2022

Had Disney executives focused on protecting families and children and not entering a divisive cultural war it wouldn’t have lost the confidence of Americans. It also wouldn’t have made these type of headlines: