The oversight board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to oversee Disney World’s special district is taking on "perks" it says were given to district employees over the years.
What You Need To Know
- DeSantis-appointed board of Disney's special district is asking for probe into perks given to district employees
- The board has accused the former board of a "scheme" to funnel money back to Disney for season passes, discounts and other parks
- A referral was sent to the Florida Inspector General on Monday; in news release said it moved to eliminate the benefits
In a news release sent Monday, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District said the previous Disney-run Reedy Creek Improvement District spent more than $2 million last year on Disney passes, discounts and other perks for district employees and their families.
The board also released an invoice it said it found that includes line items like a $492,382 charge for tickets. Also included are line items for thousands of dollars for merchandise, food and beverage, and water park discounts.
The board has accused the former district of “a scheme” to funnel millions of taxpayer dollars back to Disney. In the release, it said it had submitted a referral to the Florida Inspector General to investigate the “unethical” perks.
“The scheme raises significant questions regarding self-dealing as the board members were only permitted a maximum of $100 per month in pay per the Reedy Creek Improvement District Act,” the board said in the release.
District officials said they have moved to eliminate those benefits and that all district employees will still have access to Disney properties for official duties.
The move is the latest chapter in the ongoing between battle between Disney, DeSantis and the DeSantis-appointed board. The feud began last year after Disney publicly opposed Florida’s Parental Rights in Education legislation, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by critics.
Since then, DeSantis signed legislation allowing for a state takeover of Disney’s special district and he appointed five new members to the board of supervisors. The board then moved to void the development agreements the company made with the previous board that stripped the new board of much of its power.
Disney filed a federal lawsuit against DeSantis and the board, alleging a “targeted campaign” of retaliation. The board then filed a countersuit against Disney in state court seeking to nullify those agreements.
In an interview with CNBC, DeSantis said the state had "basically moved on" from its dispute with Disney, urging the company to drop its lawsuits. The interview came the week Disney filed a countersuit against CFTOD, seeking damages for an alleged breach of contract.