Bill Transferring Disney Special District to DeSantis’ Control Moves Forward at Florida House

TALLAHASY, Florida. – A Florida home is willing to consider a proposal that would transfer control of the Reedy Creek beautification area and give it a new name.

The House State Committee on Wednesday voted 13-3 to approve a bill (HB 9B) that would give Governor Ron DeSantis the authority to appoint a five-member County Board of Supervisors and change the name to Central Florida Tourism Supervision District.

The state created Reedy Creek in 1967 and essentially provided the Walt Disney Co. control over issues such as land use, fire protection and sewerage services, which are usually handled by local governments. The proposed overhaul comes after Disney angered DeSantis last year by publicly opposing a controversial education law.

Account Sponsor Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud said the proposal would ensure that people living outside the county are not burdened with county debt and operating costs.

[TRENDING: Family confirms missing 74-year-old Florida Lyft driver dead | Bill proposing changes to Florida’s concealed carry laws clears 1st hurdle in Tallahassee | Daytona Beach Shores motel torn down after hurricanes Ian, Nicole | Become a News 6 Insider]

“For everyone who visits the parks, nothing will change, the vacation experience will remain the same,” Hawkins said. “Day-to-day operations remain the same, especially when it comes to public safety and emergency services.”

Democrats said they had problems with the private entity running the special district, but called the proposal a “power grab.”

Rep. Anna Escamani, an Orlando Democrat who opposed the bill, said Disney will not change while DeSantis seeks “to give the impression that he’s strong on corporate responsibility issues.”

“I don’t think there is any debate about the problematic nature of the previous structure,” Escamani said. “But according to my interpretation, we are taking one problematic swamp and creating another swamp by allowing one person to appoint all five positions.”

The committee approved the bill on the third day of the special legislative session, preparing the measure for consideration by a full house on Thursday.

Last year, Disney angered DeSantis by opposing a law restricting the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation in schools. This prompted legislators to approve the dissolution of Reedy Creek and five other special districts throughout the state. But the dissolution won’t go into effect until June 1, 2023, leaving lawmakers time to rebuild and rebuild counties.

During a speech Wednesday in Ocala, DeSantis said the bill would give the state the ability to tax Disney “a lot of the benefits they’ve accumulated over the years.”

“In fact, they will have more tax opportunities,” DeSantis said. “You will also have advice that will possibly more accurately determine the value of the property in terms of receiving this assistance. So they are going to end up paying more taxes. There were many things that were deprived of some of these special provisions. There were some that were saved…they won’t be controlled by Disney.”

House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, said the goal is to put Disney on the same playing field as other businesses, pointing to Universal and SeaWorld entertainment centers.

“If you look at the bill, there are at least a dozen things — the authority they had to build their own nuclear power plant — are gone,” Renner said at an event in Ocala along with DeSantis. “There are a dozen other things that have changed. But most importantly, they were watchdogs of themselves, and now they are not.”

Hawkins said the bill also removes the district’s right to manage facilities such as an airport and a stadium. Such activities are not carried out.

The revitalized district will continue to have broad powers, including the ability to levy property taxes and fees, issue bonds, and provide services such as water and sewer systems, roads, and parking.

Board members appointed by DeSantis are subject to Senate confirmation. Nominees may not be employees, owners, or operators of theme parks.

On Wednesday, the Republican-dominated committee rejected a number of Democratic proposals. This included a proposal to require Orlando and Orange County representatives from the board of directors.

The committee approved the revision of the area’s boundaries. Hawkins said the original version of the bill included approximately 120 acres that no longer belong to the county.

Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:

Content Source

Dallas Press News – Latest News:
Dallas Local News || Fort Worth Local News | Texas State News || Crime and Safety News || National news || Business News || Health News