Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Will Tax Disney More Following Their Criticism Of “Don’t Say Gay” Bill

The feud between the Walt Disney Company and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a messy turn, with the governor scrapping the company’s special tax status.

On Friday, DeSantis signed a bill axing a 55-year-old set of privileges that the company has been granted in Florida. Established in 1967 to attract the massive entertainment company to Florida, the Reedy Creek Improvement District gave Disney control over police and fire units, property infrastructure management, and tax cuts. However, the governor fought back after Disney challenged his newly enacted “Don’t Say Gay” law. Disney will now be forced to pay more taxes beginning in 2023.

The bill seen as a direct attack on the LGBTQ+ community prohibits sexual orientation or gender identity from being taught to students in kindergarten through third grade. Supporters of the law maintain that it protects young children from ingesting inappropriate sexual material in the early grades. Opponents, such as Disney, believe that it is an attempt at stripping away education for children who may have questions regarding identity. The company has said they hope to have the bill repealed.

As a result of Disney’s outspoken stance, DeSantis says he doesn’t believe the late Walt Disney would appreciate “what’s going on with this company right now.” He insinuated that since Disney was trying to “inject sexuality” into its content, he was not “comfortable having that type of agenda getting special treatment” in his state. In recent years, the company has worked to incorporate a culture of inclusivity in its many ventures. This includes adding LGBTQ+ characters to his film and television projects and supporting various equal-rights causes.

In addition to being taxed more, Disney’s Orlando theme park will now be subject to the governance of Orange and Osceola Counties.