“Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his plan Thursday to void the last-second legal agreement signed by Disney to maintain its self-governance and special privileges in the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District,” the Daily Caller reported.
A little background can help provide context for just what this means.
Disney decided to throw its corporate heft against Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law restricting the teaching of gender ideology and sexuality for kindergarten through third grade students, which critics such as Disney falsely labeled the “Don’t Say Gay Bill.” DeSantis saw Disney’s aggression as a challenge to the autonomy of Florida’s elected government and looked to make changes to Disney’s special legal privileges.
Disney resides within the “Reedy Creek Improvement District,” a special autonomous district within the state of Florida. “Designed to grant Disney self-governing status and special privileges,” the district was governed by a board, the board’s members appointed by Disney.
DeSantis’ ensuing legislation eliminated that board, replacing it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board, the membership of which would be appointed by the governor, not Disney. Disney would soon be subject to Florida laws and no longer able to make its own rules in other words. That legislation was signed into law February 27.
In anticipation of its pending demise, the Disney-appointed board signed new agreements with Disney February 8. Those agreements, beneficial to Disney, contained language designed to make them irrevocable for decades to come.
Raising eyebrows especially is a clause stating, “this Declaration shall continue in effect until twenty-one (21) years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England living as of the date of this Declaration.”
This was the state of affairs when DeSantis spoke at Michigan’s conservative Hillsdale College Thursday. Disney “tried to pull a fast one on the way out the door,” DeSantis said. “That story’s not over yet. Buckle up. There’s more coming down the pike.”
“They are not superior to the people of Florida. And so come hell or high water, we’re going to make sure that policy of Florida carries the day,” DeSantis reportedly said, speaking of Disney’s corporate leadership.
“What Disney has tried to do is they have tried to say that they should be able to operate outside the context of our constitutional system in Florida,” DeSantis said.
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