If RCID is dissolved, what happens with DVC?

[soniam]

Thanks for the civilized thread. I really want to discuss this, but other threads have devolved into the void.

 

[peabody58]

So if RCID is dissolved, does that mean that Disney is no longer obligated to provide local perks such as AP's? That would be an interesting twist to the current drama.

 

[Sakurachaek]

Will it affect actual running of the park? Like new rides being built etc?

 

[kilik64]

Thanks for the civilized thread. I really want to discuss this, but other threads have devolved into the void.

You've come to the right place, way too many smart people hang out in the DVC forums, I learn something new every day in here.

 

[EM Lawrence]

Several of the things I'm interested in have already been brought up. Will this affect the Poly Tower? Will Disney still sell Florida AP's if they don't have special status with the State of Florida anymore? But the real question is, will we get $9 soft drinks in the park to offset Disney's presumed higher tax bill??? LOL

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

So if RCID is dissolved, does that mean that Disney is no longer obligated to provide local perks such as AP's? That would be an interesting twist to the current drama.

I do not believe any obligation to provide Florida APs would be directly related to the formation or operation of the RCID. More likely it would be in the implementation, as a mitigating factor, of The Florida Environmental Protection Act.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I think there's a VERY long way to go before this is a done deal. Years to go...

 

[soniam]

I think there's a VERY long way to go before this is a done deal. Years to go...

Let's hope. Maybe cooler heads will prevail

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

Will it affect actual running of the park? Like new rides being built etc?

Yes. Yes. Permitting and government inspectors. But Universal and SeaWorld already are subject to this.

 

[Sandisw]

Yes. Yes. Permitting and government inspectors. But Universal and SeaWorld already are subject to this.

And I think this is a bigger piece if this comes to pass.

If I was DVD, I’d get cracking on the new Poly tower ASAP while they still have their own status!!!!

 

[TwoMisfits]

Honestly, if we look at this fairly, Universal Studios, Seaworld/Busch Gardens, and Legoland have all had to operate as regular businesses in the state of Florida. This new law, if passed, will just even the playing field for all of the Florida theme parks to compete for customers. That's actually probably a long run good thing for all the entertainment businesses in the state.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

I think there's a VERY long way to go before this is a done deal. Years to go...

No. Just a house vote and Governor DeSantis’s signature. Florida has a Republican trifecta. It already passed the senate. The house is 78 to 42 favoring Republicans. Oh, and registering it with the Secretary of State, which is ministerial.

We are talking days or weeks. The bill language does have a delayed implementation date of June 2023. This is not something being negotiated by Disney or worked by a bunch of law firms. It is on a fast track through a special legislative session.

It also does not apply solely to Disney. It impacts all special districts created before 11/1/1968. There are many water districts, a county law library and other antique special districts. Disney is just one.

Here is some statutory language regarding a vote.
189.072 Dissolution of an independent special district.—
(1) VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION.—If the governing body of an independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act elects, by a majority vote plus one, to dissolve the district, the voluntary dissolution of an independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act may be effectuated only by the Legislature unless otherwise provided by general law.
(2) OTHER DISSOLUTIONS.—
(a) In order for the Legislature to dissolve an active independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act, the special act dissolving the active independent special district must be approved by a majority of the resident electors of the district or, for districts in which a majority of governing body members are elected by landowners, a majority of the landowners voting in the same manner by which the independent special district’s governing body is elected. If a local general-purpose government passes an ordinance or resolution in support of the dissolution, the local general-purpose government must pay any expenses associated with the referendum required under this paragraph.
(b) If an independent special district was created by a county or municipality by referendum or any other procedure, the county or municipality that created the district may dissolve the district pursuant to a referendum or any other procedure by which the independent special district was created. However, if the independent special district has ad valorem taxation powers, the same procedure required to grant the independent special district ad valorem taxation powers is required to dissolve the district.
(3) INACTIVE INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICTS.—An independent special district that meets any criteria for being declared inactive pursuant to s. 189.062 may be dissolved by special act without a referendum. If an inactive independent special district was created by a county or municipality through a referendum, the county or municipality that created the district may dissolve the district after publishing notice as described in s. 189.062.
(4) DEBTS AND ASSETS.—Financial allocations of the assets and indebtedness of a dissolved independent special district shall be pursuant to s. 189.076.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

No. Just a house vote and Governor DeSantis’s signature. Oh, and registering it with the Secretary of State, which is ministerial. This is not something being negotiated by Disney or worked by a bunch of law firms. It also does not apply solely to Disney. It impacts all special districts created before 11/1/1968. There are many water districts, a county law library and other antique special districts. Disney is just one.

I do wonder what all these places that also created before 1968 are thinking…because I cannot imagine how I’d remain calm in this situation.

As someone said yesterday: it will hurt Florida more in the end sadly.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

I do wonder what all these places that also created before 1968 are thinking…because I cannot imagine how I’d remain calm in this situation.

As someone said yesterday: it will hurt Florida more in the end sadly.

Could be good for Florida. These are all special districts that were not recertified after 11/1/1968.
I do not know the people running those antiquated special districts or what their personal reaction will be. But experience tells me the reaction will be more along the lines of “ho hum.” (Unless the books show there are serious anomalies.).

As to Disney’s reaction — The Daily Mail has a headline right now that says … “[P]anicked media giant considers ‘bringing back Bob Igor’ to steady ship”

 

[BekCG45]

Thanks for the civilized thread. I really want to discuss this, but other threads have devolved into the void.

I agree with this 100%. I am glad to read the well thought out and respectful responses on this thread.

I am not going to lie, we are in the 10 day cancellation window for our direct contract and I was tempted to jump ship last night after all this news. My husband feels like in the end it will be ok either way it goes. I am in a better headspace about it today but I tend to think of the worst case scenario first, always.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

I agree with this 100%. I am glad to read the well thought out and respectful responses on this thread.

I am not going to lie, we are in the 10 day cancellation window for our direct contract and I was tempted to jump ship last night after all this news. My husband feels like in the end it will be ok either way it goes. I am in a better headspace about it today but I tend to think of the worst case scenario first, always.

It is news. It is different. The topic is probably outside your wheelhouse so it is unsettling. You sound like a rational person to me.
Congratulations on your new purchase! Go ahead with it. You will be fine. You will enjoy it for many years to come.

 

[DonMacGregor]

No. Just a house vote and Governor DeSantis’s signature. Florida has a Republican trifecta. It already passed the senate. The house is 78 to 42 favoring Republicans. Oh, and registering it with the Secretary of State, which is ministerial.

We are talking days or weeks. The bill language does have a delayed implementation date of June 2023. This is not something being negotiated by Disney or worked by a bunch of law firms. It is on a fast track through a special legislative session.

It also does not apply solely to Disney. It impacts all special districts created before 11/1/1968. There are many water districts, a county law library and other antique special districts. Disney is just one.

Here is some statutory language regarding a vote.
189.072 Dissolution of an independent special district.—
(1) VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION.—If the governing body of an independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act elects, by a majority vote plus one, to dissolve the district, the voluntary dissolution of an independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act may be effectuated only by the Legislature unless otherwise provided by general law.
(2) OTHER DISSOLUTIONS.—
(a) In order for the Legislature to dissolve an active independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act, the special act dissolving the active independent special district must be approved by a majority of the resident electors of the district or, for districts in which a majority of governing body members are elected by landowners, a majority of the landowners voting in the same manner by which the independent special district’s governing body is elected. If a local general-purpose government passes an ordinance or resolution in support of the dissolution, the local general-purpose government must pay any expenses associated with the referendum required under this paragraph.
(b) If an independent special district was created by a county or municipality by referendum or any other procedure, the county or municipality that created the district may dissolve the district pursuant to a referendum or any other procedure by which the independent special district was created. However, if the independent special district has ad valorem taxation powers, the same procedure required to grant the independent special district ad valorem taxation powers is required to dissolve the district.
(3) INACTIVE INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICTS.—An independent special district that meets any criteria for being declared inactive pursuant to s. 189.062 may be dissolved by special act without a referendum. If an inactive independent special district was created by a county or municipality through a referendum, the county or municipality that created the district may dissolve the district after publishing notice as described in s. 189.062.
(4) DEBTS AND ASSETS.—Financial allocations of the assets and indebtedness of a dissolved independent special district shall be pursuant to s. 189.076.

It is being fast-tracked through a Special Session, however there is discussion that a Special District created during a General Session of the Legislature cannot be dissolved during a special session and would require the full procedure offered by a General Session (I'd have to see more evidence of that though). Add to that the simple fact that Disney is the majority landowner within the district and there's no chance they will be voting, as described in 189.073(1)(a) to dissolve. Finally, there is absolutely zero chance that the law will not simply be appealed by Disney and that would likely result in a stay for some period of time.

Any dissolution would not occur until June of 2023 per the text of the law, so at the very least, in the absence of any adverse interpretation of the powers of the Legislature, and any pending challenges to the law, your would not see anything happening until next year.

It wasn't negotiated because DeSantis slipped it onto a special session that was convened with the sole noticed purpose of addressing redistricting. The agenda was changed at the 11th hour and the RCID dissolution bill slipped in. There is already some questions as to how Randy Fine just happened to show up with a bill already written in his back pocket.

I'll stick with my original estimate that it will be several years of legal back and forthing before anything comes out the other end, even if DeSantis has the entire House over for a BBQ tomorrow and signs the thing over dessert.

 

[mistysue]

The comment wasn't only that they were dissolving special districts created before 68. It was the ones created before then including RCID, specifically. He named it, so I would guess that the people in those other districts are assuming theirs will simply be really written because this was clearly an action against Disney personally.

 

[EM Lawrence]

And I think this is a bigger piece if this comes to pass.

If I was DVD, I’d get cracking on the new Poly tower ASAP while they still have their own status!!!!

Part of me wonders if we are all just now finding out about something that has been in the works behind the scenes for much longer than we realize, and maybe that is why Disney trotted out the announcement for the new Poly Tower at a seemingly odd time: right when sales for VGF2 began.

 

[TreAntDeu]

No. Just a house vote and Governor DeSantis’s signature. Florida has a Republican trifecta. It already passed the senate. The house is 78 to 42 favoring Republicans. Oh, and registering it with the Secretary of State, which is ministerial.

We are talking days or weeks. The bill language does have a delayed implementation date of June 2023. This is not something being negotiated by Disney or worked by a bunch of law firms. It is on a fast track through a special legislative session.

It also does not apply solely to Disney. It impacts all special districts created before 11/1/1968. There are many water districts, a county law library and other antique special districts. Disney is just one.

Here is some statutory language regarding a vote.
189.072 Dissolution of an independent special district.—
(1) VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION.—If the governing body of an independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act elects, by a majority vote plus one, to dissolve the district, the voluntary dissolution of an independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act may be effectuated only by the Legislature unless otherwise provided by general law.
(2) OTHER DISSOLUTIONS.—
(a) In order for the Legislature to dissolve an active independent special district created and operating pursuant to a special act, the special act dissolving the active independent special district must be approved by a majority of the resident electors of the district or, for districts in which a majority of governing body members are elected by landowners, a majority of the landowners voting in the same manner by which the independent special district’s governing body is elected. If a local general-purpose government passes an ordinance or resolution in support of the dissolution, the local general-purpose government must pay any expenses associated with the referendum required under this paragraph.
(b) If an independent special district was created by a county or municipality by referendum or any other procedure, the county or municipality that created the district may dissolve the district pursuant to a referendum or any other procedure by which the independent special district was created. However, if the independent special district has ad valorem taxation powers, the same procedure required to grant the independent special district ad valorem taxation powers is required to dissolve the district.
(3) INACTIVE INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICTS.—An independent special district that meets any criteria for being declared inactive pursuant to s. 189.062 may be dissolved by special act without a referendum. If an inactive independent special district was created by a county or municipality through a referendum, the county or municipality that created the district may dissolve the district after publishing notice as described in s. 189.062.
(4) DEBTS AND ASSETS.—Financial allocations of the assets and indebtedness of a dissolved independent special district shall be pursuant to s. 189.076.

So, you don't think 14 months before implementation is enough time for court challenges?
Cause there are definitely going to be those if Disney wants to go that route.