Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Moves To Strip Disney Of Self-Governing Power

[AZProgressive]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling on state lawmakers to consider stripping Disney’s ability to govern its vast Florida theme park empire amid his ongoing feud with the corporate giant.

The Republican governor has been lashing out at Disney ever since the company denounced the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill DeSantis signed into law last month. The vaguely worded measure restricts discussion of sexual orientation and gender in public schools, allowing parents to sue the schools for supposed violations.

While Disney CEO Bob Chapek initially took a neutral stance on the bill, pressure from employees and LGBTQ activists and allies pushed him to speak out against it.

Now, the company’s special status in Florida may be at risk.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ron-desantis-disney-world-florida_n_625eeaafe4b06c2ea32fce3d?utm_campaign=share_twitter&ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

[rockfordfile]

1. Then FL will lose jobs

[Tickle]

25. how so? nt

[Ray Bruns]

2. Don't mess with the Mouse.

[MOMFUDSKI]

3. OK deathman

kill the Golden Goose if you must. ANYTHING for attention.

[lpbk2713]

4. He better watch out.

He'll kill the mouse that laid the golden egg. And many people won't forget it.

[ck4829]

5. A racist hate group Trump cult masquerading as a party vs a corporation with too much power

Grab the popcorn.

[tinrobot]

6. Half-wit governor taking on one of the world's largest media conglomerates?

This should be fun.

[Grokenstein]

7. Dear Bob: LEAVE. Lock it up and LEAVE.

Build somewhere else. You can destroy Mobster Ron's presidential aspirations with this single action.

[onecaliberal]

17. 👆🏻👆🏻

[kysrsoze]

22. That is not going to happen. Disney has spent a fortune moving people from CA to FL

Disney is building entire communities in the Orlando area to house Disney people, and paying for their moves. They're not going to reverse that. You all forget how much money Disney funneled to Republican politicians in FL. For decades, they have cared much more for their bottom line than the well-being of their employees, particularly hourlies.

We personally know people who are now moving to FL to save the husband's pension. Personally, I would NEVER subject my kids, particularly their daughter, to the Florida education system and their tendencies toward reproductive rights.

[Hortensis]

39. Oh, I don't know. A couple years of Hispanic women being

especially persecuted under the new laws might just swing the balance of the vote blue. The white man's party does that when they can, you know. FL was purple and about ready to tip blue when tRump and Republicans successfully courted Hispanic conservatives.

Everyone was feeling too complaisant, not just people who thought (and some bizarrely apparently still think) the choice is whether Democrats will enact free versus affordable college and which national healthcare system to have.

[Hortensis]

40. :) Of course it's not. But, fwiw, a couple more years of Hispanics being

especially persecuted under new laws might just swing the balance of the vote blue. The white man's party goes after those they consider nonwhite or low income whenever they get power, after all. FL was purple and about ready to tip blue when tRump and Republicans successfully courted Hispanic conservatives and suppressed and suckered the votes of others who should have known better.

Everyone was feeling too complaisant, not just people who thought (and some bizarrely apparently still think) the choice is whether Democrats will enact free versus affordable college and which national healthcare system to have.

Btw, for those who advocate for Disney to fold and leave, that would render tens of thousands of working people destitute and/or otherwise in real trouble. You know, "the people"? We're supposed to be the people fighting for the people against the very real actions of Republicans who DO do things like that. And worse.

[Walleye]

8. I think he's just blowing smoke

[SoonerPride]

11. Never assume the right wing isn't serious

They aren't smart, but they are 100% serious in their pursuit of revenge.

[Walleye]

15. So true. We make a mistake if we assume they have something better to do

I really think their whole party platform now consists of vengeance

[SmallFry]

38. This will pass our legislature...

During this special session.

[dwayneb]

41. He's dead serious

ABSOLUTELY he would happily destroy Disney, if he thought it would be a feather in his cap to assuage Donald Trump and his brainwashed followers.

There is a much bigger picture here than Disney and Florida. This is all about the establishment of a modern Fascist State here in America. Destroying Disney or running them out of the state is a small price to pay to reach the ultimate goal, which is pure unadulterated authoritarian power.

[Walleye]

43. Soon Florida won't even bother with elections anymore

[SoonerPride]

9. Then Disney starts using the local governments for police, fire, infrastructure etc.

And they can't afford that.

Good job dumbass!

[obamanut2012]

13. Two blue counties, he could care less

[fescuerescue]

27. They would just tax Disney for it.

[SoonerPride]

28. Then Disney sends the county a bill for infrastructure they built

.......and now the county owes Disney $3,000,000,000.

These roads, sewers, etc we built are now yours.

Pay up!

[fescuerescue]

31. Sort of a reverse imminent domain?

I don't know if that's ever been tried.

Would be interesting.

[FloridaBlues]

10. I guess he forgot to read the law that the voters of those county's have to vote to change this

I’m sure someone will point that out the state legislatures. Most people are employed by Disney in those towns and they will have to pick up millions of dollars they will lose.

[A HERETIC I AM]

21. Metro Orlando has 2.5 miilion people.

Disney employs about 62,000.

The street address for Disney World is 1375 E. Buena Vista Drive, Orlando, FL even though it is technically located in the town of Lake Buena Vista, but that town only has a population of 24.

The overall tourist industry (Other parks, hotels etc.) employs about 400,000 people in the area.

So it's not "most people" by far.

But DeathSentence is going to find he is barking up the wrong tree. The number of people Disney attracts to the area is over 7 million annually. If shit gets bad for them, they'll start throwing their weight around and ol' Ronny boy will find he wont last long as governor.

What would happen if they just decided to close for 6 weeks for a "refit" or something?

Shit, the hotel chains alone would stand to lose hundreds and hundreds of millions, and all of those rooms charge a "Bed Tax" which is one of the reasons Florida does not have an income tax.

DeathSentence is going to find out he is not all that powerful, and acting like a spoiled child because people are "being mean to me" is no way to run a state.

The man is a complete ass and I hope The Disney Company does all it can to get rid of him.

Some super slick ads done by Pixar would be a great start.

[FloridaBlues]

33. What I meant by that there's more employees affiliated with Disney Corp

Than you think . Restaurants, hotels, shops etc which go well beyond 62,000 employees that depend on the tourist to visit Disney properties. If ever you lived in this area you would see how many are dependent on Disney.
Anyway this Governor picked the wrong company to undermine.

[Phoenix61]

12. If he pulls Disney's special status he'll have to do the same

for The Villages. Also, what entity will start providing services for Disney? I don’t see Disney giving them infrastructure they built so someone is going to have to break out the checkbook. In short, just another RW stunt.

[fescuerescue]

29. The Florida counties would have to provide it

They would definitely have to breakout the checkbook which would come up short.

Necessitating a tax increase on Disney of course.

[Phoenix61]

32. The infrastructure belongs to Disney. The more likely

outcome is Disney rents it to the county and the county subs out the running of everything to Disney. The Villages would probably not come out as well. There’s no way they have the income Disney has.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Like Putin, DeSantis likes to bully and threaten others to get his way.

[Chainfire]

16. Be careful badmouthing our next king...

He is a fog and night kind of Nazi.

[Irish_Dem]

18. Good point. DeSantis is probably cooking up some Novichok right now.

Or other poisons for his enemies.

Of course if he does the fog and night routine, then he will just make people disappear, never to be seen again.

[allegorical oracle]

44. Yep -- he's an authoritarian. Hearing from NPR and other sources that he will veto any

redistricting maps in the state that don't agree with his own map design, which effectively eliminates four predominately black districts -- they switch to Repuke. It's unprecedented that a governor decides a state's redistricting. It will mean that the state's U. S. House will have 20 Republican-held districts and eight Democratic districts. That cinches the Electoral College count and a purple state becomes blood red. Younger voters must get out in the mid-term elections and VOTE.

[Irish_Dem]

46. Sociopath and autocratic leadership.

He wants what Xi and Putin have, total permanent power.

[Walleye]

45. You only have to see the way he treated those high school kids about their mask wearing

It’s easy to see what kind of man he is. He’s a bully and an egomaniac but especially a bully

[Irish_Dem]

47. Yes a big streak of cruelty, like Abbott, Putin, Trump.

They enjoy hurting others. Makes them feel powerful and important.

[Walleye]

48. They get special pleasure out of hurting vulnerable people

[Irish_Dem]

49. Yes they like vulnerable victims because they cannot fight back.

[Walleye]

51. Exactly. Like all bullies they're cowards

[Irish_Dem]

53. Yes that is true.

[Hekate]

19. Pass the popcorn

[Historic NY]

20. They own the land within the district.

not the state. Taking the status away would mean the state or Orlando would have to provide the services. I can guarantee it would raise the tax rates. The district assess's those within the district.


[link:https://www.rcid.org/|] Reedy Creek improvement district.

the District’s boundaries include: 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 1 sports complex, 175 lane miles of roadway, 67 miles of waterway, the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, an environmental science laboratory where the continuity of water quality is monitored, an electric power-generating & distribution facility, a natural gas distribution system, water and wastewater collection & treatment facilities, a solid waste and recyclables collection & transfer system, plus over 40,000 hotel rooms and 100’s of restaurants and retail stores.

[world wide wally]

23. All for smaller government.....Right?

[SoCalDavidS]

24. If This Happens....

I hope that Disney has the cajones to eliminate ANY contributions it's making to him. Something tells me they don't, or that the Moron governor isn't really going to do anything. I'm sure he's counting on their support in case he decides to run for President in 2 1/2 years.

[SoCalDavidS]

26. Speaking Of Districts, Guess Who Represents Orlando's District In D.C.?

If you answered Val Demings, Representative currently running for a FL Senate seat, you would be absolutely correct.

Coincidence, I'm sure.

[obamanut2012]

37. He is eliminating her district this week, too

She will not be reelected.

[Tickle]

30. Disney is 38 miles long and goes across two countys

DeSantis called on the state legislature to consider legislation in a special session to dismantle special protections for Disney. It's not just Disney, They will be considering termination of all special districts that were enacted in florida prior to 1968. Reedy Creek whatever that is, is on the list.

Are there any Floridians that know what I just typed?

[obamanut2012]

35. Reedy Creek is Disney

And the only special district being eliminated.

[Crunchy Frog]

34. Can they relocate to a friendlier state?

[obamanut2012]

36. No, it would cost an insane amount of money

And many things couldn't be dismantled and moved.

[Emile]

42. Disney is Forida's largest single taxpayer, paying $566 million a year in combined state

and local taxes.

[Baitball Blogger]

50. Disney's status is not at risk. They are going to make mincemeat out of De Santis.

I can't wait.

[mentalsolstice]

52. Don't f**k the mouse!

Micky was here before lil Ronny was born.

[Hotler]

54. Oh well. If you voted for Desantis, no bitching. nt