Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday that the Republican-controlled state legislature will take steps to “formally nullify” Disney’s attempts to thwart a state takeover of its special governing powers.
In his latest act of retaliation against Disney, DeSantis said lawmakers will advance a bill that will “make sure that people understand that you don’t get to put your own company over the will of the people of Florida.”
DeSantis moved earlier this year to take over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the special taxing district that for half a century gave Disney control over the land around its Central Florida theme parks, and install his political allies on the district’s board of supervisors. However, Disney in February reached an agreement wit the outgoing board that seemed to render the body powerless to control the entertainment giant. The DeSantis administration was unaware of the agreement for a month and vowed retribution after it became public.
The clash between Florida and its largest employer started last year when the state passed a new law that limited classroom instruction of sexual orientation and gender identity. Disney objected to the bill and vowed to help get it repealed. DeSantis responded by targeting the Reedy Creek Improvement District. On Thursday, DeSantis said Disney could “take a hike” if it didn’t like how the state was governing.
Speaking Monday on an Orlando radio program, DeSantis called the agreement “defective” and suggested it was not properly noticed according to state law. Disney has maintained that it followed state meeting laws. The deal was agreed to in two public meetings that were noticed in the local newspaper.
DeSantis also said the new board overseeing Disney’s taxing district will meet Wednesday to “make sure Disney is held accountable.” An agenda for the meeting posted online says the board will consider firing existing staff and taking over development oversight within the district.
The board, which is made up of five DeSantis appointees, will also instruct staff to comply with a state inspector general investigation. DeSantis ordered the probe earlier this month.
Previously, DeSantis had suggested that the state might consider new taxes on Disney hotels and tolls around its property. It is not clear if those options are still under consideration.
DeSantis has a news conference scheduled Monday in Lake Buena Vista, a Disney-controlled city. He will be joined by Wilton Simpson, the commissioner of agriculture and consumer affairs, a state agency that handles many state inspections. DeSantis has previously suggested that in retaliation for Disney’s maneuvering, the state would consider taking over inspections on the company’s properties. CNN previously reported that DeSantis’ office had instructed the district to halt pool inspections.
Simon Conway, the host of Good Morning Orlando, asked DeSantis if he would agree to a meeting with Disney CEO Bob Iger to resolve the conflict. Iger had recently told Time magazine that he would welcome a sit down with the Republican governor.
DeSantis said he would if Disney accepted “that they are not going to live under a different set of rules than everyone else.”
“If we can get there, fine,” he said. “But we’re not there yet.”
Source: www.cnn.com