The ongoing feud between the governor’s appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and Disney has resulted in more agenda-driven changes.
The Central Florida Oversight District, formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, is a special district created by the state of Florida that has allowed the Walt Disney Company governmental control over the land that makes up its Central Florida theme parks. The purpose of this district has been to support economic development by providing zoning, fire protection, utilities and infrastructure services to the area. This past year, the legislature revoked self-governance from the district and placed the governor’s appointees in charge of the board in retaliation to comments made by Disney against the governor’s reckless anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Recently, the governor-appointed board has abolished diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from its operations which mirror the Governor’s own political agenda. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District announced that its DEI committee will be shut down, as well as all DEI initiatives that had been in effect from before the district was taken over by the governor.
The newly appointed board has also proposed to defund the district’s police presence by $8 million, which would be used to hire off-duty police officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and municipalities. This increase in police presence would protect Floridians and tourists on all of Disney’s sprawling properties. For the police officers themselves, it’s a completely voluntary program to earn extra income, with RCID paying OCSO and local municipalities for the officers to be able to use their county-owned patrol cars, uniforms, radios, weapons, and other equipment.
“When government attempts a hostile takeover of a business to enforce a political agenda and puts a rogue oversight board in place like we’re seeing here with Disney, it not only jeopardizes public safety, but the job security of our police officers and the skilled workers that keep our community safe and thriving” said Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando). “We know the important role the presence of law enforcement plays at major tourist destinations. For instance, federal prosecutors suspected that on the night of the Pulse nightclub shooting, the shooter decided against targeting the House of Blues in Disney Springs after surveying the location and seeing the large police presence. If major funding and policy changes like this continue to happen, we can only speculate as to what could happen next.”
