Orlando Outlets Warn That Ron DeSantis’s Attack On Disney May Cause “Financial Ruin” For Local Counties

The Orlando Sentinel reports:

Dissolving Walt Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District could saddle local taxpayers with about $1 billion in debt and leave local governments scrambling with how to take over vital services for Florida’s top tourist attraction.

What happens next is unclear, but Orange County’s tax collector and other opponents of the bill say ending Reedy Creek could lead to higher taxes for Orange and Osceola residents. The Legislature did not conduct an economic study on the ramifications of dissolving the district.

Legislators spent only two days examining the bill, unveiled on Tuesday, providing little opportunity for public input. Reedy Creek collects about $164 million in property taxes to maintain roads, utilities and other services, which is almost entirely paid by Disney.

Orlando’s ABC News affiliate reports:



One of the biggest myths circulating on the internet is that the end of Reedy Creek will finally force Disney to pay its fair share of taxes, boosting the economies of Florida and the counties its resorts are located in.

Let’s dispel that rumor right now: not only is it wrong, it’s the opposite that will take effect.

Despite zero debate or public comment, and the near-total opposition of Central Florida’s delegation to this maneuver, Orange and Osceola County taxpayers will shoulder the hit alone, leaving both counties staring at financial ruin.