'COME HELL OR HIGH WATER': Gov. DeSantis vows Florida will 'win' in latest spat with Disney
DeSantis suggest's he'll slap Disney with hotel taxes, road tolls
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday he’s looking into taxing Disney World’s hotels, imposing tolls on its roads and developing its property as the latest escalation in the battle between the Florida Republican and the corporate giant.
"They are not superior to the people of Florida," DeSantis said during an event at Hillsdale College in Michigan. "So come hell or high water, we're going to make sure that that policy of Florida carries the day."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly sparred with Disney World. Most recently, he suggested that he may tax the entertainment giant's hotels and place tolls on its roads. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images / Fox News)
DeSantis and Disney have repeatedly exchanged blows over the course of the last year. After the entertainment giant publicly opposed Florida legislation aiming to limit discussions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom, DeSantis moved to strip Disney of its special self-governing status.
In February, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill to replace a company-controlled board that governs Disney World with one run by DeSantis appointees. But ahead of the vote, the original board passed a series of agreements that allowed Disney to keep much of its power, regardless of the controlling body.
A board controlled by Disney granted the company broad authority before it was replaced with DeSantis appointees. (Getty Images for Disney Dreamers Academy / Getty Images)
DISNEY STRIPS DESANTIS' DISTRICT OVERSIGHT BOARD OF POWER
Disney "tried to pull a fast one on the way out the door," DeSantis said earlier Thursday, according to Politico. "That story’s not over yet. Buckle up. There’s more coming down the pike."
On Monday, DeSantis asked his chief inspector general to open an investigation into the agreements the boards passed. Part of that probe would look into whether any laws were broken.
DeSantis recently called on his chief inspector general to investigate the Disney-controlled board's moves. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC / Getty Images)
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In response, Disney CEO Bob Iger at a shareholder meeting called DeSantis’ moves "anti-business" and "anti-Florida."
Disney "tried to say that they should be able to operate outside the context of our constitutional system in Florida," DeSantis said Thursday. "Ultimately, we're going to win on every single issue involving Disney, I can tell you that."
Disney World did not immediately respond to a request for comment.