Ron DeSantis-backed bill to strip Disney of tax district control passes Florida House

The GOP-controlled Florida House of Representatives approved a bill Thursday that would strip Walt Disney World of control over its special tax district and hand the reins to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The law would rename the Reedy Creek Improvement District and replace its current oversight board with DeSantis appointees.

The measure passed 82-31 on a party-line vote, and the Florida Senate is expected to follow suit on Friday.

After a bitter public feud with the entertainment giant over DeSantis’ so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, the GOP heavyweight initially sought to dissolve Disney’s special tax district altogether.

The House of Mouse publicly opposed the legislation, which banned discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for kids in kindergarten through the third grade.

DeSantis and the law’s backers said it protected young children from age-inappropriate subject matter, while Disney asserted that it was anti-LGBTQ.

Reedy’s remake will keep the district intact, albeit with new overseers as well as some new limitations on its power.

The existing model allows Disney to levy taxes, administer its own fire and police forces, and assert eminent domain claims, even outside of its 39 square mile parcel.

The new framework would disallow the company from approving certain large-scale projects like airports and stadiums, and prohibit it from using state tax dollars to pay for advertising.

Critics of Reedy’s total dissolution argued that the move could saddle taxpayers with Disney’s estimated $1 billion in debt.

However, DeSantis has insisted the new arrangement would maintain Disney’s responsibility for that sum.

“Disney is no longer going to have self-government; they’re not going to have their own government,” the governor told reporters Wednesday. “Disney’s going to pay its fair share of taxes and Disney’s going to honor the debt and that’s exactly what this proposed piece of legislation will do.”

With passage of the law a formality, Disney officials said they are taking stock of its implications.

“We are monitoring the progression of the draft legislation, which is complex given the long history of the Reedy Creek Improvement District,” Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort said in a statement this week.

“Disney works under a number of different models and jurisdictions around the world, and regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to providing the highest quality experience for the millions of guests who visit each year,” Vahle said.