In a letter to the editor at the Orlando Sentinel, Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board chairman Martin Garcia has said that Disney “still holds too much sway” in the District.

Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board Chairman Pens Letter to the Editor Against Disney

In the letter, Garcia mentions the recent vote on property tax rate cuts, and how Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista voted to raise property tax rates the following day, “in order to continue paying the bills for security services used by Disney.” The letter later goes on to say that prior to the appointment of the CFTOD board, “Disney enjoyed undue influence over many businesses in the district.”

You can read the letter in full below:

Last week, the new board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District proposed providing economic relief to residents by cutting property tax rates — an action that would have been possible because of the elimination of government waste and abuse. The following day, however, the city councils of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista surprisingly voted to raise property tax rates in order to continue paying the bills for security services used by Disney. The CFTOD board remains convinced that a multibillion-dollar corporation is more than able to cover this cost.

This peculiar, though not wholly unexpected, development makes it that much more apparent why the new CFTOD board is essential as an independent and honest broker. Until the new board was appointed, Disney enjoyed undue influence over many businesses in the district. It further unduly influences city council members, who rent their homes from Disney.

The CFTOD board recognizes that it is up against a corporate behemoth. But it will not be deterred from serving as a champion for all constituents in the district by finally bringing independence, fairness and transparency to the district.

Martin Garcia Tampa

Martin Garcia is the chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

This is the latest installment in the long-running feud between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who hand-picked members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board when the Reedy Creek Improvement District was dissolved.

The Florida Governor and Walt Disney Company initially clashed over the corporation’s opposition to a much-debated and controversial Florida law regarding classroom instruction and discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools, alongside various other recent state laws and proposals in a similar vein.

Bob Chapek was Chief Executive Officer at the time and initially remained silent and passive on the issue — until massive internal criticisms from Cast Members, the LGBTQ+ community, and controversy over Disney’s practice of making hefty political contributions to campaigns and individuals allegedly against their own stated human principles came into focus.

In an apparent act of retribution over Chapek’s expression of dissent, the Governor moved forward with various verbal and legal assaults on Disney, including the dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District and eventual transfer of power directly under his control. DeSantis argues he is attacking an incredibly vague perception of something he calls “woke politics,” allegedly invading the state — frequently stating his intention to put the people of Florida first through these actions and the newly-formed CFTOD board:

Disney has gotten away with special deals from the state of Florida for way too long. It took a look under the hood to see what Disney has become to truly understand their inappropriate influence.

Every member of this governing body has been a handpicked ally of the Governor thus far, including a Christian nationalist and lawyer who donated $50,000 to the DeSantis gubernatorial campaign, among others. In May, an administrator for the district (Glen Gilzean) was also appointed, with a significantly increased $400,000 salary directly related to ongoing DeSantis-led legal fights regarding Disney and several other issues around the state. The legal expenditures made by the Governor are being funded by Florida taxpayers.

DeSantis has previously argued that he is attacking a vague perception of something he calls “woke politics,” allegedly invading the state — frequently stating his intention to put the people of Florida first through these actions and the newly-formed CFTOD board:

Disney has gotten away with special deals from the state of Florida for way too long. It took a look under the hood to see what Disney has become to truly understand their inappropriate influence.

Most recently, Disney’s motion to dismiss the countersuit by the Board was denied, after Judge Margaret H. Schreiber ruled that the lawsuit was not “moot,” as Disney claimed. You can read more about that here.

In other recent developments for the board, John Classe formally ended all work for the district.

Formerly an administrator of the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) for almost a decade, Classe was asked to stay behind and help organize the transition of the RCID into its newest iteration, consisting of leaders hand-picked by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. In a statement to the Sentinel, the CFTOD gave a brief explanation:

Mr. Classe was offered a consulting contract to assist with the transition to the new leadership. That transition is now complete. The district thanks him for his service.

It’s still uncertain if the advising contract was terminated by Classe or the CFTOD Board. As a special advisor, he was required to assist in legal action against Disney and prohibited from working for the company. Primarily, he was also tasked with advising Glen Gilzean, the new administrator of the district.

Classe was previously named in Disney’s ongoing lawsuit against the Governor and District Board, but has since been removed from the list and replaced with Gilzean. His departure may indicate this period of transition is over in the eyes of the new district, now making decisions without involvement from previous leaders.

This isn’t the first major departure in the brief history of the CFTOD. Board member Michael Sasso resigned from his position only a few months into a term that was supposed to last until 2027. Governor DeSantis ultimately named Charbel Barakat as a replacement. A reason or explanation was not given by Sasso or the CFTOD, but it is worth noting his wife was recently appointed by DeSantis to serve on the Florida Supreme Court.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District recently made some major changes to the area in and around Walt Disney World, approving property tax cuts and a new Reedy Creek Fire Department contract, along with abolishing the district’s diversity programs.

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