DeSantis Signs Bill to Take Over Disney District

    Image copyright: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images [via Axios]

    The Facts

    • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill requiring him to appoint a five-member board to oversee the government services for the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which was previously controlled by entities of the Walt Disney World company.

    • The bill will turn governing power over the 2K acre district, to be renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, to the governor-appointed board, thereby creating a new state-controlled tax district. These powers include the ability to build a nuclear power plant and airport, though Disney never used them.


    The Spin

    Republican narrative

    Instead of caving to the woke mob, Disney CEO Bob Chapek should have taken DeSantis’ advice and let the controversy over the parenting bill blow over. Instead, Disney reacted to left-wing online trolls by defying Florida law, leaving the state little choice but to adopt this bill.

    Democratic narrative

    DeSantis is exploiting yet another culture war issue to increase his notoriety ahead of his eventual 2024 presidential campaign, and this time the state’s taxpayers will be footing the bill. While he mostly lied about what this bill will do, DeSantis sold out his citizens to gain control of a board and score political points nationally.


    Political split

    LEFT

    RIGHT

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