An oversight board appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year said Disney benefited from “the most egregious display of corporate cronyism in modern American history,” according to a copy of the independent audit it ordered, obtained by The Post.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) released its report on Monday, detailing how the House of Mouse achieved “virtually total governing authority” over the district beginning in 1967.
“That authority was unfettered until Disney acquired the authority to, among other extraordinary privileges, create and direct not only its own fire and police departments, but also, if it chose, to build nuclear power plants,” the report said.
Under legislation signed by then-Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr., the Reedy Creek Improvement District was proposed as an experimental community that would combine residential and commercial areas, in addition to the Walt Disney World theme parks.
A board appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released an audit of the benefits enjoyed by the special taxing district for Walt Disney World for more than half a century in the state. AP
But the city initially envisioned by the Disney patriarch before his death “never materialized, and to this day, Disney’s special district has essentially no individual residents,” according to auditors.
Among other things, Disney was advised by consultants to “limit the scope of democracy” within the district, so that the company could be “freed from obstacles to change, such as … elected political officials.”
“Disney has completely overruled the legislature and committed an extraordinary act,” the auditors wrote in their 72-page report sent to DeSantis and the Florida legislature.
“It has established an unconstitutional governing authority — ‘an experimental absolute monarchy’ — within the borders of the State of Florida, and, therefore, of the United States — which closely resembles, without exaggeration, an ancient government.”
“This report is an exercise in revisionist history. It is not objective and unreliable, and only serves to advance CFTOD’s interests in its wasteful litigation that could undermine investment in the district,” a Disney spokesperson told The Post in a statement.
Under legislation signed by former Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr., the Reedy Creek Improvement District was an attempt to combine residential and commercial areas with a theme park. Getty Images
“Furthermore, it does not change the fact that the CFTOD board was appointed by the governor to punish Disney for exercising the Constitutional right to free speech. This report also comes after numerous reports in the media that have raised legitimate concerns about the governance of the district under its new leadership,” the spokesperson added.
“While the board may wish to undermine Disney’s ability to continue investing in the region, we are extremely proud of our impact on Central Florida’s economy over the past half century and we remain committed to maintaining the highest quality experiences for tens of millions of people. guests who visit Walt Disney World every year.”
Auditors described the special district as a “stepping stone” for Disney, from which the company would move to develop additional parks in Orange County and Osceola County, Fla., and eventually become an $82.7 billion media empire.
“Disney has completely overruled the legislature and committed an extraordinary act,” the auditors wrote in their 72-page report to DeSantis and the Florida legislature. CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“Until November 2023, institutional investors associate more than 85[%] from Disney’s current stock market value to theme park and consumer product-related businesses,” the report also states.
DeSantis, 45, signed legislation in February that dissolved the former county board and installed a new five-person panel, believing the county had been governed in a manner “akin to corporate welfare,” the audit said.
That includes “giving lavish gifts and expenses” for board members and county employees, “creating the impression that these employees are working to advance Disney’s interests, not for the County or other property owners.”
DeSantis, 45, signed legislation in February to get rid of the former county board and install a new five-person board, believing the county operates in a manner “akin to corporate welfare.” Florida Governor’s Office
According to the audit, county board members, other employees and their families enjoyed about $2 million worth of resort season passes and other perks in recent years, along with discounted Disney cruises, merchandise, food and drinks.
Former board members tried to counter the governor’s changes by storming the county’s eleventh-hour agreement for municipal services before walking out — and Disney sued DeSantis in April to try to keep the agreement in effect.
At least one of the agreements will last for 100 years, the report revealed.
Disney sued DeSantis in April for eliminating special tax districts. Reuters
Meanwhile, the board DeSantis appointed filed a lawsuit against the media giant for rejecting a “backroom” deal before the district changed hands.
Asked about the legal battle in August, DeSantis, a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said Disney should “go back to what [it] do it well.”
“We’ve basically moved, they’re suing the state of Florida, and they’re going to lose that claim. So what I would say is drop the lawsuit,” he told CNBC in an interview.
Critics – including Disney CEO Bob Iger – called it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, arguing it would threaten LGBTQ youth. Reuters
Disney last year spoke out against DeSantis’ Parents’ Rights in Education law, which would have banned classroom instruction about gender identity or sexual orientation before fourth grade.
Critics — including Disney CEO Bob Iger — called it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, arguing it would threaten LGBTQ youth.
The Central Florida Tourism District has also awarded multi-million dollar contracts to local vendors as part of a new procurement policy to correct previous anti-competitive practices.
Disney last year spoke out against DeSantis’ Parents’ Rights in Education law, which would have banned classroom instruction about gender identity or sexual orientation before fourth grade. Getty Images
One case highlighted in the report shows that Reedy Creek contracted Disney for a $7.7 million road construction project involving the media company’s golf course.
“[Y]et no evidence exists to support any economic analysis of that price or a comparison between the costs of entering into an agreement versus going through condemnation proceedings,” said William Jennings, a forensic accountant who provided expert testimony for the report.
Other legislative proposals passed in the district used “high rhetoric that disguises the underlying wealth transfer that benefits Disney,” according to one of the auditors, Donald J. Kochan, a law professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law.
DeSantis polled a distant second in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, trailing the front-runner, former President Donald Trump, by 47 percentage points, according to the RealClearPolitics average.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
