TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday asked the Legislature to repeal a law allowing Walt Disney World to operate a private government over its properties in the state, the latest salvo in a feud between the Republican and the media giant.
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DeSantis, an ascendant GOP governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate, has battled with Disney over the company’s opposition to a new law barring instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
On Tuesday, DeSantis raised the stakes.
As lawmakers returned to the Capitol for a special legislative session on congressional redistricting, the governor announced he issued a proclamation that allows the Republican-controlled statehouse to take up bills eliminating Disney’s self-governing district.
“I am announcing today that we are expanding the call of what they are going to be considering this week. And so, yes they will be considering the congressional map, but they also will be considering termination of all special districts that were enacted in Florida prior to 1968, and that includes the Reedy Creek Improvement District,” DeSantis said at a news conference, referencing the company’s governing district without mentioning Disney by name.
The Reedy Creek Improvement District is a private government controlled by Disney World and set up by the state Legislature in 1967 that allows it to provide government services such as zoning, fire protection, utilities and infrastructure.
The move comes after Disney announced it would suspend political donations in the state over the new Parental Rights in Education law, which opponents dubbed “Don’t Say Gay,” over criticism that barring lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades would marginalize LGTBQ people. Disney is one of Florida’s biggest private employers.
Disney representatives did not immediately return an emailed request for comment.
Good, they shouldn’t have special privileges, they should be subject to the same rules and regulations as everyone else, especially as they are CCP genocide supporters and now openly support pedophile groomers.
Disney has no problem removing a few seconds of dialogue from a movie that empties a gay relationship in their subserviance to the CCP genocides, yet they are against the banning of teaching 5 year olds age inappropriate topics.
Go, DeSantis!
Gov. DeSantis , you’re greater and greater by the minute.
Boycott Disney. Choke on your WOKE.
Good for them. They deserve it. They have some nerve to reap all its benefits yet do what they want and then but into state business.
Desantis 2024! = Trump plus
Unlike Trump he actually does stuff. He also doesn’t get petty and attack people personally. He is also more moral
Disney was always an issue for anyone who thinks that Disney is a good family past time. In high school I had to take child development courses about (20 years ago) and we had to learn about subliminal messages and oh my goodness all the subliminal messages that are in Disney is not normal (beyond inappropriate and perverted) I would never let any of my children watch any Disney movie and feel very bad for kids that do and this has nothing to do with religion.
There seems to be a story here every week about Governor DeSantis.
So Desantis promulgates a law that has no basis in reality. A former corporate donor (Disney) says it won’t send gelt to Desantis any more. So he declares war on Disney and threatens to take away tax advantages that THE VILLAGE (a GOP area) gets. Sounds like another crude Republicaaner move, for his crazed base.
DeSantis is a faux conservative. He uses big government to bully those that oppose him. He uses the power of state government to infringe on private enterprise and to force his agenda on municipalities and schools that do not subscribe to his ideology. He is no different than a big government liberal trying to use government to bully others. He is attacking private enterprise because they publicly oppose his policies. Such abuse of power should make all shudder. Chris Sununu of NH and Larry Hogan of MD are the last of the true GOP conservatives.
All the anti-regulation Trump nuts here are now championing the State telling business what they can and can’t do. Guess they are now in favor of forcing photographers and cake makers to service certain clientele and getting rid of those religious exemptions. Or does freedom only apply if you advocate for certain ideas? Just saying, these Republicans increasingly seem very anti-freedom. How disgustingly Anti-American they have become…
DeSantis is an attention seeking big government type. He is using his power as governor to gain attention for his 2024 primary campaign. He is more interested in catering to the extreme populist elements of the GOP than governing as a true conservative.
Conservatives respect private enterprise. His attacks on cruise companies and others shows that DeSantis does not
Conservatives are for local government. DeSantis has grabbed power from municipalities and counties throughout Florida. He has forced his will on the town of Key West and Palm Beach County. He ignores the stated will of the people.
Conservatives don’t use the powers of government to fight their opponents. DeSantis uses his power to smother dissent like he is doing to Disney.
DeSantis makes a lot of noise. Real conservatives should look elsewhere and not fall for the attention seeking actions of an authoritarian governor.
What a petty little man that DeSantis is