DeSantis vs. Disney

I was born in Okinawa Japan in 1980. So I certainly was not up to date with Disney and its dealing with the state of Florida.

Comparing this set up to Delta or a hypothetical is just not the same thing.

I think there is far more politics here than retribution. Shoot did not Disney give DeSantis money and the pubs? Probably gave to Gillum and the dems as well. But quick google search appears to show support for the pubs over the dems.

No doubt DeSantis is taking advantage of this politically. Disney has thrown a softball right down the middle. They better find a better pitch as they will lose on this issue.

 

DeSantis going after the massive corporation that gave him money. DeSantis potentially going after tweeter for fiduciary responsibility. And he is fascist. LOL!

 

I think it is more political than retaliatory. But sure there is retaliatory things in politics.

 

Using state power to punish dissent seems pretty fascist to me

 

This is taking a kernel of truth, and expanding it into an overarching narrative.

Initially, there would be a cost (investment) by the state and local counties. But that will be recouped rather quickly I suspect in the future tax revenue that revenue that will come from this. Right now Disney pays virtually no property tax. That was by design in Walt’s negotiations with the state in 1967 and earlier. The state decided that getting the massive sales tax revenue of the resort was worth giving up 1967 level property taxes on 25,000 acres of swamps and orange groves. Now the counties and state will get that property tax revenue.

Disney, in contrast will now not only have to pay property taxes based on current value, and they will lose the ability to tax the private businesses operating within Reedy Creek.

This is a business disaster for Disney. There was a time when they would have shrugged this off like a Marco Wilson tackle. But now they have revenue pressure in their subscription services, ESPN is a shitshow, trademark expiration issues, and if that’s not enough, a pending recession that will hit attendance hard in the theme parks in addition to pissing off half of their potentential customer base. This should end up being a case study subject for Management and Finance course for years to come.

 

Analysts Say Florida Stripping Disney World's Power Could Cost Residents and Counties | the disney food blog

 

Don’t let facts get in the way of his fevered rant.

 

One website pointed out that this revocation would be under Florida Statute section 189.072(2)(a). That statute requires the electors in the district to approve the dissolution. If that's the case, there's no way the electors in the RCID would approve this dissolution.

 

Yeah, Disney pays "virtually no property tax" LOL

 

Fascists don't need no Statutes, they'll just make some new ones. Laugh but watch.

 

I believe the only theme park that is tax exempt is the Holy Land, who gets to claim they are a church.

 

They closed down and the property has been purchased by Advent Health

 

100% incorrect. Disney pays almost $300m per year in annual property taxes alone, and about $250m in additional state taxes. From the link above:

“The special district does not exempt Disney from paying property taxes,” Clark said. Disney is Central Florida’s largest taxpayer, paying nearly $300 million per year in property taxes to Orange and Osceola counties, as well as about $250 million in other state taxes.

So, if those counties had to assume many of the roles the Reedy Creek Improvement District now performs, they would be doing it without any real expanded income, save some potential permitting and other construction fees. The counties could create a special fire protection taxing district to re-coup some of the money needed to replace the 200-employee Reedy Creek Fire Department, which provides 911 emergency services, fire protection, and emergency medical services. But other services counties are expected to provide would fall back to both of the counties to fund, and that might lead to an increase in property taxes for local residents, Clark said."

PLUS -Orange and Osceola Counties would have to take ownership of the $2B in bond obligations that Disney is still responsible for. Good luck finding a local county executive to agree to an allocable share of that burden on their balance sheets. The entire Osceola County budget isn't even $2B annually to begin with.

This is sheer political theater for deSantis. He hasn't minded taking the tax revenue generated by a "California corporation". Not until they disagreed with him anyway.

 

Yep, agree with you, or you will use the government to gain retribution. Pretty much the bedrock ideal of any authoritarian.

 

As quickly as UF brought in the pre-eminent faculty in the last few years, they will jump to leave at the first chance. At least I would.

 

Plenty of people in Tallahassee who won't mind seeing the gap between UF and FSU close up a little bit.

 

I think the goal is to force out professors who disagree with them politically while granting tenure to the GOP Borg.

 

I'd think the new statues would apply to all state universities.