Governor Ron DeSantis is expanding a special session of the Florida Legislature starting today to get rid of districts that were established prior to November 1968, targeting the Reedy Creek Improvement District established around Walt Disney World Resort in 1967.

DeSantis had previously said he was “receptive” to repealing the act that created the district around Walt Disney World. He has been targeting the company’s “special privileges” ever since they took a hard stance against the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

The self-described purpose of the Reedy Creek Improvement District is “to support and administer certain aspects of the economic development and tourism within District boundaries.” The creation of the district means Walt Disney World and other landowners pay for local essential services like water, electricity, fire protection, and emergency medical services instead of taxpayers. 

DeSantis said, “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 their 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.” The proposed action “Dissolves certain independent special districts; authorizes reestablishment of certain independent special districts.”

DeSantis made the announcement in The Villages, which has 17 special districts, all established after 1968.

He thanked House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Senate President Wilton Simpson for “stepping up and making sure that we make the sunset or the termination on those special districts happen, which I think is very important.”

DeSantis also said he would seek to remove the carve-out Disney received from the Legislature for the “Big Tech” law, which would allow people to sue social media companies if they are censored. The law has been blocked by a federal judge.

The bill can be found here.

Source: Orlando Sentinel and Tampa Bay 10

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