A new report from the Orlando Business Journal says that Florida House of Representatives Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) will not consider any changes this year to the former Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD).
Florida House Speaker Won’t Consider Changes to Reedy Creek Improvement District
Renner said that he supported the changes to turn RCID into CFTOD, which was established by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis following Disney’s public decry of the state’s Parental Rights in Education bill, a.k.a. the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Other than the ongoing court saga with Disney, the District has dealt with several issues as of late, including dozens of employees quitting and reports of a “toxic” workplace, and the unpopular decision to cancel the Walt Disney World Annual Pass program and other benefits for District employees.
I think we’ve gone on the right path at least, I don’t want to go back.
Florida House Speaker Paul Renner
This news comes after the Orange County legislative delegation voted to advance a bill from Florida Senator Linda Stewart (D-Orlando), which seeks to repeal CFTOD and restore RCID. Prior to the current District, Disney used the Reedy Creek Improvement District to self-govern its theme park properties in the area, including Walt Disney World Resort, since 1967.
Stewart has said that she is “looking at every avenue possible” to get the law that created CFTOD overturned.
We are going to try to get people to vote and see how many people still believe in how they voted the first time.
Florida Senator Linda Stewart
Most recently in the Disney vs. DeSantis battle, Disney filed a new motion in December, asking the judge in the original state lawsuit to order CFTOD to turn over their previously requested documents, following the company filing another lawsuit against the District over withholding public records.
This past week, the State of Florida began inspections of the Walt Disney World Monorail, eight months after DeSantis signed the bill to allow its regulation by the Florida Department of Transportation.
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