The Mouse Will Roar!

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

The Walt Disney Company, a multi-national entertainment conglomerate, owns the theme park, "Disney World," near Orlando, Florida, an international tourist destination that is, at least by some metrics, the largest employer in the state of Florida, and definitely a major contributor to the state's economy.   

When the complex was first being talked about in the early 1960's, Disney and the state of Florida entered into an agreement called the "Reedy Creek Improvement District" which essentially gave Disney complete autonomy over nearly forty square miles of prime Florida real estate in exchange for bringing their amusement park to Florida, as well as some tax breaks.  The "Reedy Creek" agreement gave Disney more-or-less complete control and responsibility over the property.  The company not only could build and operate as they pleased, but they also were tasked with providing their own public services such as police and fire departments.   Disney even established its own power grid for the park complex.

But all of those services are expensive, even for a multi-national corporation such as Disney.  The "Reedy Creek Special District" has long operated at a loss and has, by some estimates, more than a billion dollars of debt on its books,  That debt has traditionally been covered by cash influxes from Disney, a system that has kept the park operational and bringing in the tourists - all of whom spend money out beyond the special district in communities that are governed by the state of Florida.

This spring Disney World became embroiled in a political dispute with the state of Florida when the state legislature passed, and Governor Ron Desantis signed, the notorious "Don't Say Gay Bill" which forbid discussions of gender in early elementary classrooms and gave parents the right to sue for damages if teachers violated that law.    

Disney initially tried to ignore the situation, but employees at Disney World were not as reserved their corporate masters, and many began to be openly critical of their employer for not speaking out against what they saw an insensitive and intolerant legislation.  The bosses at Disney soon decided to show support for the views of their employees, particularly the LGBTQ workers who felt personally targeted by the legislature, and the company announced its opposition to the law.  To emphasize its position against the legislation, Disney announced that it would suspend donations to political candidates in the Sunshine State.

(Disney had given over $4.8 million to Florida political candidates in the 2020 election cycle, a majority of that to Republican candidates, and a $50,000 donation to Ron DeSantis.)

After Disney's accouncement, the egomaniacal DeSantis then took to the airwaves castigating Disney and before long his ragged army of intolerance began appearing outside of the park trying to  blockade the entrance and harassing families who were trying to enter the facility.  The Magic Kingdom was under seige!

Yesterday Ron DeSantis carried his War on Disney  even further.  He announced that he would be asking the state legislature to consider dissolving the "Reedy Creek Special District" agreement, a move that would turn ultimate control of the park's facilities over to the Florida counties of Orange and Osceola - whether they sought that control or not.

Dissolving a "special district" would be like dissolving a town or other municipality.  The two counties that absorbed the old "special district" would receive some tax advantages of the new property within their borders (and in this case those revenues could be considerable), but they would also acquire the responsibility for maintenance and improvements within the area.  In practice, if Disney World needed a new road or two, buildings removed or replaced, or landscaping, the county involved would have to grant approval and in some cases even help or cover expenses.

And then there is the matter of that billion dollars in debt currently owed by the "Reedy Springs Special District," (to bond holders or Disney itself).   There are already arguments being make that the debt would logically shift to Orange and Osceola Counties, a move that could add something like $2,200 of extra tax indebtedness to every taxpayer in the affected counties.

Ron DeSantis may have just been doing his daily political posturing exercises when he lashed out against Disney's independence yesterday, but if he and his GOP lackeys in the state legislature were expecting a quick and cheap win against Mickey Mouse and friends, they had best think again.  When that mouse begins to roar in response, the people of Florida are going to listen - and Ron DeSantis may not like what they are hearing!

You screw with Mickey at your own peril, Ron.