Ron DeSantis asks Florida IG to research Disney-appointed board for spending $2 million of taxpayer cash on resort charges and resort stays
Ron DeSantis has requested Florida’s Inspector Normal to research whether or not a now-dismantled board appointed by Disney spent $2 million of taxpayer cash on perks.
DeSantis’ administration took over Disney’s governing physique in February and changed it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District as a part of an ongoing battle between the leisure large and the conservative governor.
The governor’s handpicked board instructed the state’s inspector normal on Monday that the earlier board paid Disney greater than $2million in 2022 for its members to have season passes and reductions on merch, motels, meals and drinks.
Members of the Reedy Creek Enchancment District, because the physique was beforehand recognized, spent $492,382.96 for park tickets, $16,837.39 for merchandise reductions, $4,969.52 in meals and beverage reductions and $3,764.48 in a water parks low cost, in response to paperwork seen by the New York Post.
Workers for the district additionally spent hundreds for resort stays at at Disney’s Yacht Membership, Disney Caribbean Seaside and Disney Coronado Springs, per the bill.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has requested the state’s Inspector Normal to look into whether or not a now-dismantled Disney-appointed board used taxpayer cash inappropriately
Members of the Reedy Creek Enchancment District, because the physique was beforehand recognized, spent $492,382.96 for park tickets, $16,837.39 for merchandise reductions, $4,969.52 in meals and beverage reductions and $3,764.48 in a water parks low cost
The district recorded $169,012,258 in complete revenues and $178,736,100 in complete expenditures.
The brand new board combed by hundreds of paperwork of their quest to seek out any improper habits by their predecessors.
A Florida legislation caps board members’ compensation at $100 per thirty days.
The brand new board’s request is the newest transfer within the battle between DeSantis and Disney.
Earlier this month, the brand new board abolished all of Disney’s variety, fairness and inclusion packages.
DeSantis’s handpicked committee accused the dismantled Reedy Creek Enchancment District of ‘discriminating towards People primarily based on gender and race, costing taxpayers tens of millions of {dollars}.’
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District mentioned the slashed DEI packages have been akin to ‘race-hiring’ and ‘applied hiring and contracting packages that discriminated towards People.’
A press release by the board added that the choice comes after an investigation into Reedy Creek’s former insurance policies, which it known as ‘unlawful and easily unamerican.’
‘The district’s DEI committee might be dissolved and any DEI job duties might be eradicated. Employees may also not be permitted to make use of any workers time to pursue DEI initiatives,’ mentioned the district’s administrator Glenton Gilzean, a longtime ally of DeSantis.
Again in February, DeSantis formally took management of Disney’s Reedy Creek Enchancment district in his conflict with the ‘company kingdom.’
The transfer gave him the ability to pick the board and power Disney to pay $700 million in taxes and money owed.
Disney responded by suing the governor, accusing DeSantis of punishing the corporate over its opinions, violating its free speech rights.
The brand new board’s request is the newest transfer within the battle between DeSantis and Disney
The conflict between Disney and the Florida governor began when Disney’s then CEO Bob Chapek launched an announcement condemning DeSantis for the so-called ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ legislation
Disney has sued the governor, accusing DeSantis of punishing the corporate over its opinions, violating its free speech rights. Pictured is present Disney CEO Bob Iger
Within the submitting, executives accused DeSantis and Florida of a ‘focused marketing campaign of presidency retaliation’ within the battle sparked by Disney criticizing the so-called ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice.
The Sunshine State now has energy over the previously self-governing, particular tax exempt district encompassing the complete Walt Disney World Resort, which was established in 1967.
The particular tax district is dwelling to Disney World and Walt Disney World resorts, employs 75,000 folks and attracts 50 million guests yearly.
The brand new board consists of businessmen, attorneys and college board members from throughout the state.
Beforehand, Reedy Creek Enchancment District was in a position to act with the identical authority as a county authorities, making its personal guidelines and governing itself.
The takeover was the end result of an almost year-long battle between DeSantis and Disney stemming from passage of the Parental Rights in Training invoice.
Disney’s then CEO Bob Chapek launched an announcement condemning DeSantis for the legislation, which critics have dubbed the ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice as a result of it restricts educators from together with of their curriculum discussions on sexual orientation and gender id from kindergarten by third grade.
It got here after Chapek, who’s not CEO of Disney, mentioned he would not take a stand on the matter. However the day after the invoice handed, the previous CEO condemned it whereas providing a $5 million donation to LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Marketing campaign.
In response to the controversy, Disney paused their contributions to Florida political campaigns and assessed their ‘strategy to advocacy, together with political giving in Florida.’
