Fact-check: Will Floridian Taxes Rise Over Disney-DeSantis Debacle?
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill into law Friday that disallows special district designations, including the Reedy Creek Improvement District that governs the Walt Disney Company.
The move is out of retaliation for Disney's opposition to Florida's HB 1557, known to many as the "don't say gay" law. The news has brought attention to a relationship between Disney and the Florida government that many weren’t previously aware of.
Some have said that the change could saddle taxpayers with a bill of about $1 billion.Here’s what we know. What happened?After backlash for not speaking about the then-pending “don’t say gay bill,” Disney, Florida's largest private employer, condemned the legislation.
After it was signed into law, the company pledged to help fight for its repeal.Officially titled the “Parents Rights in Education” law, the legislation makes discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity through the third grade illegal and limits the ability of teachers to engage in conversations around those topics generally.After news of Disney’s opposition broke, according to the New York Times, DeSantis wrote in a fundraising email to supporters, "If Disney wants to pick a fight, they chose the wrong guy.
