Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is celebrating amidst his ongoing public dispute with Disney and mocking the company’s legal endeavors.
“I think it’s been a success story. I don’t view it as a fight at this point because I think that they’ve lost on the underlying claims,” DeSantis told CNBC’s Last Call on Tuesday.
A year ago, the Republican governor signed a bill to abolish Disney’s special district. The former Reedy Creek Improvement District, established in 1967, granted the company complete regulatory authority over Disney World and government services like fire protection, emergency services, and infrastructure.
“There were people pointing out and saying ‘oh, people in Central Florida are gonna pay higher taxes, the sky’s gonna fall,’” DeSantis said. “Those people were wrong.”
DeSantis posted a video on X earlier Tuesday claiming that the dissolution of the special district saved Florida taxpayers millions.
Last month, a judge dismissed a lawsuit against DeSantis filed by Disney, which alleged he retaliated against the company for publicly criticizing a controversial education bill passed by the Republican-controlled legislature.
Disney has appealed that decision.
“If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with,” Disney said in a statement ahead of DeSantis’ appearance on Last Call. “We are determined to press forward with our case.”
