The (new) empire strikes back

Presented by CVS Health: Kimberly Leonard's must-read briefing on what's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State

Dec 05, 2023 View in browser   By Kimberly Leonard Presented by A LGBTQ supporter prepares to distribute signs to participants to protest Disney's stance on LGBTQ issues in Glendale, Calif. | Jae C. Hong/AP Photo Good morning and welcome to Tuesday. Walt Disney World's old self-governing powers are facing a new onslaught of criticism. An 80-page report accuses the theme park of showering employees from the former governing body — known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District — with “perks that were akin to bribes” that included annual passes as well as discounts on merchandise and cruises. Such goodies, the report concludes, set up a too-cozy relationship that tipped policies in favor of the theme park's interests over other restaurants, hotels and shops in the area. It caused district workers to "start to see themselves as agents of Disney, as opposed to agents of good governance," said one of the reports' authors, Donald Kochan, executive director of the Law and Economics Center at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. The report came at the direction of the GOP-supermajority Legislature. By law, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, made up of Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees, had to hire a panel of experts to study the decades-long arrangement Disney used to enjoy. It's yet another fallout for Disney after the company spoke out against a DeSantis-backed Florida law limiting classroom instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation, known by opponents as "Don't Say Gay." Much of the report criticizes celebrations the district once held, including "extravagant holiday parties" frequently held on Disney property. A person close to the former board, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal, defended the perks, saying they fostered a positive workplace. (Note: It's also not uncommon for theme parks to pick up the tab for hotels, meals and tickets as an in-kind donation to political committees — thought in this case the district paid for the Disney perks starting more than 15 years ago.) Disney originally received its special tax district decades ago partly because it promised the Legislature it would build a city but then never did. The company still pushed to keep its arrangement to "maximize its profits," per the report, though it would have been "tremendously profitable" either way. "What shocked me most is how effective Disney has been from the every start in creating the narrative that this level of extraordinary authority was necessary for Disney to come to Florida and sustain itself in Florida," said Kochan, who will be presenting the group's findings remotely during a public meeting tomorrow. Disney and the current board are still locked in legal battles that could take years, and the pressure's on for the entertainment giant because nearby rival theme park Universal Studios is undergoing an expansion. Disney has been pushing its own study showing that it contributes tens of billions of dollars to Florida's economy. Executives continue to dangle the prospect of spending $60 billion on its parks business over the next decade, money they’ve made clear will go only to welcoming and stable locations around the globe. At least one Democrat, state Sen. Linda Stewart, wants the old district back. Disney panned the report as an “exercise in revisionist history” that was “neither objective nor credible.” It accused board members of using the report to try to support their side during their “wasteful litigation.” “It does not change the fact that the CFTOD board was appointed by the governor to punish Disney for exercising its Constitutional right to free speech,” the company said in a statement. — WHERE’S RON? Gov. DeSantis will outline his budget recommendations at a press conference in Marco Island, Florida, at 9 a.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch at: kleonard@politico.com A message from CVS Health: Learn how we’re delivering the future of health care. More here.   ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... TODAY — DeSantis Tuesday morning is releasing his spending plan a little more than a month ahead of the 2024 annual legislative session that starts in January. DeSantis, unlike previous years, had not outlined a lot of his budget priorities ahead of time although he has previously promised another round of tax cuts. DeSantis has a budget surplus to work with again this year, although not as large as it was back during the spring. A key question is whether the governor’s sixth budget will be designed to be just about Florida or whether there will be items in it designed to look good on the campaign trail in Iowa. — Gary Fineout  ALSO TODAY — Florida House Speaker Paul Renner will speak at the Capital Tiger Bay Club. Florida House subcommittee meetings, including on higher education. Florida Senate committee meetings on health care, criminal justice and agriculture. (Tune in.) RULES UNDER REVIEW — “Building boom looming for Florida Keys? State considers easing decades-old growth limits,” reports the Miami Herald’s David Goodhue. “The state is considering easing strict long-standing limits on development in the Florida Keys, a move that could fuel the biggest building boom in the ecologically fragile island chain in nearly a half-century. It could — at least potentially — open the door to as many as 8,000 new homes and businesses in one of Florida’s most famous tourist destinations and supercharge Monroe County’s construction industry and economy.” ENDANGERED — Groups ask federal court to block Florida permits to save panther, reports POLITICO’s Bruce Ritchie. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club asked the federal court in Washington to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the state Department of Environmental Protection to prevent wetlands permits from being issued on two proposed development projects in Collier County. — “No lettuce for Florida manatees this winter: Experts end feeding trial after two years,” reports the Tampa Bay Times’ Max Chesnes PENINSULA AND BEYOND OUTSTANDING TAXES — “DeSantis’ Disney chief tells employees they owe $2 million in back taxes, but he’s working on a fix,” reports the Orlando Sentinel’s Skyler Swisher. “The issue stems from free Disney passes employees and retirees received for years as part of their benefits, district administrator Glen Gilzean wrote in an email Friday to employees explaining the situation … The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is working to resolve the matter by covering the back taxes owed by employees and retirees and is awaiting a response from the IRS, Gilzean wrote.” MONARCH HIGH SCHOOL — “Mom at heart of Broward transgender athlete controversy: My daughter was wrongly outed,”reports the Miami Herald’s Brittany Wallman. “A lot of things were taken from my family this week — our privacy, sense of safety, and right to self-determination,” the mother said. “There is a long history in this country of outing people against their will — forced outing, particularly of a child, is a direct attempt to endanger the person being outed. We kindly ask everyone to respect our family’s privacy, and to give our family the space we need to speak to our experience on our own terms and timeline.” SPEAKING OUT — “Pro-Palestinian FSU student group demands changes from university,” reports the Florida Phoenix’s Christian Casale. “Demands the group has drawn up for the university: That President Richard McCullough rewrite his letter to FSU students on the matter, which [the group] said only supported Israel; that the university cut ties with Boeing, an American aerospace company and weapons manufacturer and the recession of support for the birthright tips conducted by Hillel and Chabad, two on-campus Jewish organizations.”   A message from CVS Health:   CAMPAIGN MODE A voter shows off their, 'I Voted", sticker after casting their ballot at a polling station. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images TODAY — ”Housing, insurance costs are high-priority issues as candidates head toward Tuesday clash for vacant HD 118 seat,” reports Florida Politics’ Jesse Scheckner. “Voters on Tuesday will choose between three men, each of a different political persuasion, who are vying for a short-term stint representing House District 118. Two of the candidates, Democrat Johnny Farias and independent Francisco “Frank” De La Paz, are former Community Council members now aiming at a far loftier office. The third, Republican lawyer Mike Redondo, is hoping to succeed in his first time running for an elected post, a prospect bolstered by ample support from his state party. He’s the odds-on favorite to win, based on the district’s voting history, political composition and his sizable funding advantage.” TOMORROW — DeSantis will take part in the fourth GOP debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. POWER PLAY — Republican Party of Florida Vice Chair Evan Power is calling for a party Executive Board meeting on December 17 in Orlando to discuss how the party should proceed amid the rape allegations facing state GOP Chair Christian Ziegler. Peter Schorsch of Florida Politics first reported the news. Without an emergency meeting, members would otherwise have to wait to discuss the matter during the party’s annual meeting in February, a timeline that Power said wasn’t acceptable. He’s asking executive board members to sign onto a call to hold an earlier meeting, after Ziegler refused to call one. During the meeting, the party will consider possible disciplinary actions, appointing an investigative committee, suspension of pay until the investigation is over or formal censure. The meeting would be held behind closed doors. More details about the allegations … “Ziegler attended local Republican meeting after encounter with rape accuser,” reports Florida Politics’ Jacob Ogles. “Video shows Ziegler attended an Oct. 2 Republican Party of Sarasota meeting, and showed up around 5:20 p.m. That’s less than three hours after surveillance video captured Ziegler driving to a woman’s apartment in a pickup truck.” DEM CONTEST — “‘No conspiracy.’ Florida Democrats explain cancellation of state presidential primary,” reports the Miami Herald’s Max Greenwood. “The Democratic party says the decision was made weeks ago, and its hands are tied. The deadline for the party to submit its candidate list to the Florida Secretary of State’s office was Nov. 30. Under state law, if a political party lists only one presidential candidate, that person will be declared the automatic winner of the primary and no vote will be held. The party chose its roster of candidates at a meeting of its state executive committee in October — a decision that went under the radar.” DATELINE D.C. Getty Images | Getty Images POLITICAL FOOTBALL — Sen. Rick Scott demands answers over FSU snubbing as anger builds over college football pick, reports POLITICO’s Gary Fineout. Scott on Monday sent a three-page letter to Boo Corrigan, the chair of the selection committee asking for detailed information about the process used to deny FSU a spot in the playoffs. Scott called the decision to slide FSU out of the playoffs “shocking” and he demanded “total transparency” for how the selection committee reached its conclusion. The team had been ranked fourth just a week before. A message from CVS Health: Whether in the community, at home or virtually, consumers want health care that is convenient, personalized and affordable. And we’re delivering. By connecting each step of your care – from a medical appointment to a trip to the pharmacy to ongoing check-ins with your care team – we’re making healthier happen together. Learn more.     Follow us on Twitter Kimberly Leonard @leonardkl   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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