Republican Lawmakers in FL, Vote to Dissolve , Disney's Special District.
The bill was passed by the FL state legislature, 23-16 in the Senate and 70-38 in the House, on April 21.
If signed by Republican FL Governor Ron DeSantis, it means the Reedy Creek special district would dissolve effective June 1, 2023.
The Walt Disney Company would then no longer be able to act as its own government.
Disney has retained the status for five and a half decades.
The special status means that the company has been able to expand and maintain its theme parks with zero cost to FL taxpayers.
In the meantime, Disney came to employ more people in FL that any other company and transformed the local economy of Orlando.
In the meantime, Disney came to employ more people in FL that any other company and transformed the local economy of Orlando.
Democratic lawmakers in FL expressed bewilderment after the vote.
The Disney corporation is being attacked for expressing support for its many LGBTQ employees and customers. Are we really making this enormous decision based on spite?, Tina Polsky, Democratic State Senator, via CNBC.
We are adding insult to injury by voting on something today that was proposed yesterday going after a private business that has literally made our state what it is, disagrees with, Loranne Ausley, Democratic State Senator, via CNBC.
According to FL law, dissolving a special district requires a majority vote of the landowners which, in this case, is Disney.
This means that bill is mostly political theater that is not likely to result in the dissolving of Reedy Creek.
[The governor] wants to prove a point. He wants to prove he’s more powerful, but I don’t think he’s more powerful than Disney, Jason Pizzo, Democratic State Senator, via CNBC.
DeSantis is a likely contender for the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination
