Florida votes to strip Disney of its special tax status

Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Florida Republicans are moving to attack the special tax district of the Disney Company in response to the state's gay marriage bill. The Florida House passed a bill to dismantle all of the state's special tax districts that were created before 1968. The new bill, which passed in state Senate earlier this week, comes weeks after Disney CEO Bob Chapek was compelled to apologize for company's past political campaign contributions to the architects of the Don't Say Gay Bill.

In a press conference earlier this week ahead of the Florida legislature's special session, Governor Ron DeSantis urged his fellow Republicans to support a legislative move that would eliminate the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

The Florida legislature will be considering the congressional map, but they also will.

In addition to congressional reapportionment, this week's special session will include termination of legacy special districts and removal of exemptions from the big tech accountability law. pic.twitter.com/67sF4E113I

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 19, 2022

Disney assumed responsibility for a number of services and duties for its Florida landholdings that would typically fall to a local government when Reedy Creek was established in 1967. Disney was able to set up shop in Florida with minimal outside interference and become the state's largest private employer with almost 80,000 employees because of Reedy Creek. Disney's employees recently organized a week of walkouts in protest of Disney's involvement in the Don't Say Gay Bill law.

The tax status legislation is on it's way to the desks. Reedy Creek would cease to exist on June 1st, 2023 if the bill is signed into law.

Should Florida's governor sign the bill, Reedy Creek will shield Disney from having to pay certain taxes. The bill's backers seem willing to live with the fact that the district's estimated $1 billion in bond debt will have to be taken on by taxpayers.

Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls said that this is a governor who is willing to buck your traditional elite establishment and corporate America.

The legislation is going to the House, not the Senate, as previously stated.