Disney has “a new sheriff in town,” boasts Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Disney will have a “new sheriff in town” once Florida officially takes control of the company’s special tax district, Gov. Ron DeSantis boasted.

DeSantis has fired his latest salvo at the House of Mouse as Florida lawmakers hold a special session to consider a bill that would remove Disney’s self-governing status in the Reedy Creek beautification area, where the company has had near-autonomy for decades.

“Obviously it will now be controlled by the state of Florida, which is no longer self-governing for them,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Ocala on Wednesday. “So there’s a new sheriff in town, and that’s the way it’s going to be.”

Under proposed legislation backed by DeSantis and state Republicans, the governor would have the power to appoint members of a new five-member council for the special district, which will be renamed the Central Florida Tourism Authority.


Ron DeSantis
The proposed bill would allow Governor DeSantis to oversee the Disney Special Tax District Board of Supervisors.
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

The bill would keep the county intact after DeSantis and others initially called for its full dissolution. Disney will be required to comply with state rules in the county. Critics warned that dissolving the county would shift the financial burden onto Florida’s taxpayers.

“Disney will no longer have self-management; they won’t have their own government,” DeSantis said. “Disney is going to pay its fair share of taxes, and Disney is going to pay off the debt, and that’s exactly what this proposed legislation will do.”

The fate of the bill will be determined at a special meeting that began earlier this week and is expected to last 12 days.

DeSantis has targeted Disney for months after company executives publicly criticized the state’s passage of the Republican-backed “Don’t Say You’re Gay” bill.


Disney
Disney is cutting 7,000 jobs.
AP

“We are following the progress of a bill that is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek beautification area,” Jeff Vale, president of Walt Disney World Resort, said in a statement earlier this week.

“Disney operates across multiple models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience to the millions of guests who come every year,” Vale added.


Disney
Disney angered Florida officials by publicly criticizing the state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Getty Images

The fight for the special district is another headache for Disney, which is trying to bounce back after a long fall in stocks.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced plans to lay off 7,000 people as part of a massive plan to cut costs across the company.

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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

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