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Disney experts: Gov. Ron DeSantis' plan for Florida to oversee Reedy Creek is 'unique' with 'no lega [View all]
Disney experts: Gov. Ron DeSantis' plan for Florida to oversee Reedy Creek is 'unique' with 'no legal path'ACBJ via Yahoo News
I couldn't find a link without a paywall so I tried to include the the meat and potatoes of the article, at least.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis caused heads to spin on May 16 when he hinted that the state could be the new overseer of Walt Disney World's (NYSE: DIS) Reedy Creek Improvement District in Orlando.
Specifically, experts are curious how the state could make such moves and what kind of fallout there may be, as the Reedy Creek Improvement District area also consists of two municipalities in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, where its largest 'resident' is Disney.
DeSantis was clear on his stance of not allowing local governments — Orange and Osceola counties — to take over control. "More likely, the state will simply assume control and make sure that we're able to impose the law and make sure we're collecting the taxes ... There's a whole bunch of different things that we will be able to do. I'd much rather have the state leading that effort than potentially having local governments … I'm worried that they would use that as a pretext to raise taxes on people when that's what they would want to do anyways, and then try to blame Reedy Creek. We’re not going to give them that opportunity," DeSantis said, during an event at Seminole State College while making an announcement regarding nursing education.
State officials told Orlando Business Journal, via a May 16 email, that the governor's statements at the event were his latest on the topic. Also, both Orange and Osceola counties said they were monitoring the situation.
But DeSantis' latest stance makes little sense, said Disney experts with knowledge of government workings.
"The state of Florida can't simply force a hostile takeover of two Florida cities chartered under Florida law," said Chad Emerson, a Disney expert who authored the book, Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World.
Chad Emerson, a Disney expert who authored the book, Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World.
"Both of these local municipal governments are protected under Florida law. There is no legal or regulatory path for the Florida state Legislature to accomplish what they are seeking to do. Simply put, the Florida Constitution protects private businesses from big government intervention like this," he told OBJ.
One thing that 's guaranteed is that whatever DeSantis and the state of Florida come up with, it'll be distinct, said Aubrey Jewett, associate professor and assistant school director at the University of Central Florida's School of Politics, Security and International Affairs.
"We don't know for sure what the state will come up with, but it is probably safe to say that it will be unique since Reedy Creek was unique, and dissolving it as political punishment in a haphazard fashion without a plan is certainly unique," Jewett told OBJ. "That said, since we don't know the details yet, it is hard to say exactly how unique the arrangement will be."
Specifically, experts are curious how the state could make such moves and what kind of fallout there may be, as the Reedy Creek Improvement District area also consists of two municipalities in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, where its largest 'resident' is Disney.
DeSantis was clear on his stance of not allowing local governments — Orange and Osceola counties — to take over control. "More likely, the state will simply assume control and make sure that we're able to impose the law and make sure we're collecting the taxes ... There's a whole bunch of different things that we will be able to do. I'd much rather have the state leading that effort than potentially having local governments … I'm worried that they would use that as a pretext to raise taxes on people when that's what they would want to do anyways, and then try to blame Reedy Creek. We’re not going to give them that opportunity," DeSantis said, during an event at Seminole State College while making an announcement regarding nursing education.
State officials told Orlando Business Journal, via a May 16 email, that the governor's statements at the event were his latest on the topic. Also, both Orange and Osceola counties said they were monitoring the situation.
But DeSantis' latest stance makes little sense, said Disney experts with knowledge of government workings.
"The state of Florida can't simply force a hostile takeover of two Florida cities chartered under Florida law," said Chad Emerson, a Disney expert who authored the book, Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World.
Chad Emerson, a Disney expert who authored the book, Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World.
"Both of these local municipal governments are protected under Florida law. There is no legal or regulatory path for the Florida state Legislature to accomplish what they are seeking to do. Simply put, the Florida Constitution protects private businesses from big government intervention like this," he told OBJ.
One thing that 's guaranteed is that whatever DeSantis and the state of Florida come up with, it'll be distinct, said Aubrey Jewett, associate professor and assistant school director at the University of Central Florida's School of Politics, Security and International Affairs.
"We don't know for sure what the state will come up with, but it is probably safe to say that it will be unique since Reedy Creek was unique, and dissolving it as political punishment in a haphazard fashion without a plan is certainly unique," Jewett told OBJ. "That said, since we don't know the details yet, it is hard to say exactly how unique the arrangement will be."
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