DeSantis' CFTOD is cutting more than $3 million from road maintenance at Walt Disney World to pay for its legal fights

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Posted: Wednesday September 13, 2023 5:0pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Florida Governor Ron DeSanatis' Central Florida Tourism Oversight District plans to cut more than $3 million from its road maintenance at Walt Disney World in a proposed budget for financial year 2024.

The proposed budget sees spending on roadway repair and maintenance fall from $16,610,892 in 2023, to $13,456,790 in 2024, a decrease of $3,154,102. In a note on the budget, CFTOD says the major variance is due to "less paving rehab."

During a late-August Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board meeting, administrator Glen Gilzean reported spending plans for the district's legal battle with Walt Disney World.

According to Gilzean, CFTOD has spent almost $2 million so far, with an additional budget of $4.5 million allocated for the financial year 2024.

Glen Gilzean speaking on May 10 at his appointment as District Administrator

The CFTOD board sued Disney in a Florida state court in May 2023, following Disney's federal lawsuit against CFTOD board members and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Disney claims in its lawsuit filed in a federal court that there has been "A targeted campaign of government retaliation-orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney's protected speech now threatens Disney's business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights."

Reedy Creek Improvement District overview

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peter114358 days ago

No. But it’s the start of the process

MR.Dis8 days ago

Does this mean a new agreement has been reached with Disney? I am trying to read between the lines on just what this is saying.

flyakite8 days ago

castlecake2.021 days ago

Yes

Stripes21 days ago

Has Disney/CFTOD continued to replace the purple direction signage with the new blue color scheme since CFTOD took over?

mkt21 days ago

You're right. The new document will be different. It will be "different" in the way that Chris Gaines was "different" from Garth Brooks or how the drummer from Nirvana is "different" from the singer of the Foo Fighters.

Unbanshee21 days ago

Both are effectively picked by the Governor, just not technically. Look no further than the communications "strategy" with the replacement of Gilzean of the Governor's office getting out ahead of every single step of the process

lazyboy97o21 days ago

The settlement acknowledged the “need” to change the comprehensive plan, which undermines this idea. So too does the lack of an agreement, as the 2032 Comprehensive Plan wasn’t that different than the again in force 2020 Comprehensive Plan.

Brian21 days ago

That's understandable for sure. I just felt inclined to make the distinction due to the ongoing conversation, as the district administrator is selected by the board, while the board is selected by the governor.

mkt21 days ago

The new agreement will be functionally the same as the one Disney was sued over.

pdude8121 days ago

You're right. This has been going on so long I just lumped all the antagonists together.

Brian21 days ago

Not to nitpick, but Gilzean was district administrator, not a board member.

pdude8121 days ago

A bigger risk than keeping Garcia and Gilzean on the board as active disruptors? I don't agree with their decision to stall the federal lawsuit, but I understand why they saw the status quo as a risk to growth over the next few years.