The Reedy Creek Firefighters WANT The State Takeover of Reedy Creek Improvement District From Disney
The dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District is scheduled for June 1st of this year. Here’s a plot twist I did not see coming. There’s support for the state takeover coming from inside Disney.
The Reedy Creek Improvement District goes back to 1967 when Disney obtained the right to provide it’s own municipal services within the district. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill to dissolve the district on April 22,2022. He reassured people with this quote “People say… they have services and utilities. We’re going to take care of all that… don’t worry. We have everything thought out.”
There’s been much public discourse on the topic, a false report on DeSantis backing down, and even a lawsuit. But the bill to dissolve the district is moving forward.
Osceola County posted this notice:
“Notice is hereby given of intent to seek legislation before the Florida Legislature, during a regular, extended, or special session, of an act relating to the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange and Osceola Counties; amending, reenacting, and repealing Chapter 67-764, Laws of Florida, and decree in chancery no. 66-1061 (May 13, 1966); removing and revising powers of the District; increasing state oversight, accountability, and transparency of the District; revising the selection process, membership qualifications, and compensation for the governing body of the District; ensuring debts and bond obligations held by the District remain with the District and are not transferred to other governments by retaining the District’s authority related to indebtedness and taxation; revising the District’s authority over local permitting and regulation; revising the District’s regulatory framework and structure; instituting reporting requirements, including a review of the District’s remaining powers; describing the District boundaries and name; revising exceptions to general law and certain special acts; removing duplicative provisions; making conforming changes; creating an exception to general law; providing an effective date.”
This language in this notice effectively refutes the lawsuit which argued that taxpayers would have to take on the debt of the RCID. According to WDWNT, “Disney would also lose its special privileges to have tolling authority or build a nuclear power plant.” Disney was allowed to build their own nuclear power plant?
All this aside, what is it that the people most affected at Reedy Creek really want?
Tim Stromsnes of the Reedy Creek Professional Firefighters Local 2117 union, spoke with the Orlando Sentinel. “Anything has got to be better than what we currently have. We really hope that this new board will bring the morale up for Reedy Creek [and] will make us an elite emergency services department again. We’ve got our faith in the governor that we’re going to be around and that it’s going to be a better place to work.”
In a report back in June by WESH2 ” so many of their trucks and rescue units are out of commission that they’re responding to medical emergencies in SUVs.”
There’s still a lawsuit holding up Governor DeSantis’s pursuit to dissolve the district. Bizjournals states it as “The case originally was filed last May in Miami-Dade County over the alleged possible tax increase implications that could occur if the Reedy Creek district — and its nearly $1 billion bond obligations — were to fall on local taxpayer shoulders.” With the notice from Osceola County that refutes that legal claim, and the support of the first responders most affected by the upcoming change, the Reedy Creek Improvement District will likely be dissolved on June 1st.
On a side note, Disney tickets are on sale for Florida residents.
The Best Time To Visit Disney World In 2023
