A group called “Disney Defenders” handed the members of the Governor DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors “pink slips” during their meeting on Wednesday. The group is collecting signatures for two petitions, one to restore the previous Reedy Creek Improvement District and the other to prevent political retaliation.

‘Disney Defenders’ Give CFTOD ‘Pink Slips’

The Disney Defenders leader, Chris Wills, gave the District Board members their pink slips and said they are “all on notice that once these petitions get the signatures needed, we will restore Reedy Creek and your services will no longer be needed.”

Wills says the Board members are causing “chaos and corruption.” In an announcement released before the Wednesday meeting, they cited the District removing Annual Pass benefits for their employees, abolishing diversity programs, cutting the road repair and maintenance budget, and awarding a no-bid contract to a firm connected to the District Administrator (which they canceled after public criticism). They also reference the dozens of long-standing Reedy Creek employees who have resigned since the District takeover.

Read the press release from Disney Defenders below.

Florida – November 14, 2023 – As Florida voters seek to undo the damage being done by Governor DeSantis to our state, including his actions of political retaliation against the Walt Disney World Resort, it has become increasingly clear that the board members he put in place to control Disney World by replacing Reedy Creek with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, have brought nothing but corruption and chaos to an area of the state that has historically been one of the best run for over half a century, while it was under the control of Reedy Creek.  With bipartisan support from across the entire state, the political action committee Disney Defenders will be providing pink slip notifications of pending termination to DeSantis’ board members at the November 15th Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board Meeting.  The notice pending termination will ensure that they are fully aware that their services will soon no longer be required, once the Disney Defenders proposed constitutional amendment to restore Reedy Creek is approved.  Among the evidence that will be cited as justification for their termination with cause, will be the following stipulations:

-DeSantis’ Board Members took action to defund the police that provide public safety for the over 20 million visitors to the Walt Disney World Resort.

-DeSantis’ Board Members have angered the district’s employees by canceling many of the benefits they have received for many years as employees.

-DeSantis’ Board Members made those from diverse backgrounds feel unwelcome by ending the district’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

-DeSantis’ Board Members have caused dozens of former Reedy Creek employees to resign from the district, due to low morale caused by the chaos the board has created.

-DeSantis’ Board Members approved a budget that reduced the funding for road maintenance, which everyone who previously visited Reedy Creek knows were among the best-maintained roads in the whole world.

-DeSantis’ Board Members allowed a firm connected to DeSantis’ chosen district administrator to be awarded a no-bid contract, which was not corrected until the media covered the clear act of corruption.

-DeSantis’ Board Members have demonstrated a complete lack of experience and have been shown to be completely unqualified for the positions they were given for political purposes.

Furthermore, the notice we will provide will advise the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board Members to govern themselves accordingly, as the Disney Defenders political action committee will take all steps necessary to ensure that the chaos and corruption that have defined the eight-month term served by DeSantis’ Board Members, comes to an end as quickly as possible.

Florida voters can help ensure that DeSantis’ Board Members are unable to continue their destruction of Walt Disney’s dream by signing the Disney Defenders constitutional amendment petition to restore Reedy Creek at www.DisneyDefenders.com  Each of DeSantis’ Board Members will also be provided copies of the petitions, and encouraged to join in signing the petitions to help end DeSantis’ era of chaos and corruption in Central Florida, which is clearly in the best interest of the district and is their civic duty to the public.   

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