ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office on Friday pushed back against a published report that claimed state lawmakers were working to reverse a plan that would have stripped Disney of its ability to self-govern.
The Financial Times article said Florida lawmakers were in the process of reversing the move to strip Disney of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a decision spurred by DeSantis in April after the company’s then-chief executive Bob Chapek spoke out against the state’s new “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
When News 6 reached out to DeSantis for a response to the report, Deputy Press Secretary Jeremy Redfern said DeSantis “does not make U-Turns,” suggesting he would not waver on his decision to dissolve the special district.
According to the Financial Times report, state lawmakers are currently “working on a compromise that would allow Disney to keep the arrangement largely in place with a few modifications.” The article cites the return of Disney CEO Bob Iger as a reason why lawmakers are discussing reestablishing the special district that acts as a governing body for the 25,000 acres in Orange and Osceola counties on which Walt Disney World sits.
State Rep. Anthony Sabatini took to Twitter to highlight the report, claiming “Florida is preparing to cave.”
BREAKING: Florida is preparing to cave & give Disney World—the most woke left-wing company in the world—a special tax district that’s essentially the most corrupt form of corporate welfare
— Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) December 2, 2022
Sad to see weak-kneed GOP politicians get overpowered on thishttps://t.co/9WatM920fj
The recent report is just the latest to come out of the battle between DeSantis and Disney, a rivalry that grew from the governor’s mission to repeal the district in response to the Disney company condemning the signing of the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, a controversial piece of legislation banning sexual identity discussion in schools.
[TRENDING: VIDEO: Fireworks explode inside Orange County warehouse | Body found believed to be man missing in Osceola County since Thanksgiving, sheriff says | Become a News 6 Insider]
News 6 has also reached out to the Reedy Creek Improvement District and is waiting to hear back.
Check back here for updates.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: