HUMAN
HUMAN GUINEA PIG. IT SCARED TRAINING THAT IS GOING ON.
>> IS DOUBLE THAT TONIGHT.
>> NEW TONIGHT THE STATE OF
FLORIDA IS FACING THE FIRST
LAWSUIT OVER ITS CHANGES TO
REEDY CREEK SINCE THAT NEWS
BROKE. GOOD EVENING. I'M GREG
WARMOTH AND I'M MARCUS AGO
SKI, A GROUP OF OSCEOLA AND
ORANGE COUNTY RESIDENTS IS
CLAIMING IN FEDERAL COURT OF
FLORIDA IS UNFAIRLY AND
ILLEGALLY BURNING THEM WITH
EXTRA TAXES BY DISBANDING
DISNEY'S SPECIAL DISTRICT.
HERE'S HOW WE GOT TO THIS
POINT. DISNEY CEO BOB CHAPEK
FIRST CRITICIZE THE PARENTAL
RIGHTS IN EDUCATION BILL ON
FRIDAY MARCH. 11TH GOVERNOR
DESANTIS. FIRST UP, THE IDEA
STRIPPING AWAY REEDY CREEK ON
MARCH 31ST. ON APRIL, 20TH AND
21ST, THE STATE SENATE AND
HOUSE AGREED WITH THE GOVERNOR
VOTING AND THE SPECIAL
DISTRICT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO
NOTE NO ACTUAL CHANGES WOULD
TAKE EFFECT UNTIL JUNE. 1ST
2023, ASSUMING NOTHING CHANGES
BETWEEN NOW AND THEN A PRIVATE
ONUS IS LIVE FOR US IN ORANGE
COUNTY. NICK, YOU SPENT A LOT
OF TIME TALKING TO A LOT OF
DIFFERENT ATTORNEYS TALKING
THROUGH DIFFERENT LEGAL
SCENARIOS. THIS ONE OF SOMEONE
SUING THE GOVERNOR DIDN'T COME
UP THOUGH.
UP THOUGH. >> NOW WE LEFT OFF OF THEM
SAYING DISNEY'S BEST AVENUE
WAS TO SUE OVER THE FIRST
AMENDMENT OR FOR A BONDHOLDER
FOR A CONTRACT VIOLATION.
ATTORNEY BEHIND THIS LAWSUIT
SAYS HE HAS A GREAT CASE, BUT
OTHERS AREN'T SO SURE.
>> SERGEANT POLICE SECURE THE
CHAMBER WHEN THE FLORIDA
LEGISLATURE VOTED TO END
DISNEY'S 55 YEAR-OLD TAX
DISTRICT, REEDY CREEK. MANY
PEOPLE EXPECTED A LEGAL FIGHT
WITH THE MOUSE SETBACK OF THE
ELEPHANTS IN TALLAHASSEE OR
WITH THE BILLION-DOLLAR BOND
HOLDERS TO STRIKE. FIRST TURNS
OUT IT WAS NEITHER WE DO THIS
IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE.
>> ALL FLORIDA TAXPAYERS ARE
REPRESENTED IN THIS BATTLE
THAT WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE
TABLE AND WE'RE NOT JUST
WAITING BACK TO SEE WHAT THE
GOVERNMENT AND LARGE
CORPORATIONS DECIDE TO DO.
THAT'S MIAMI BASED ATTORNEY
WILLIAM SANCHEZ, WHO WE SHOULD
MENTION IS A DEMOCRAT RUNNING
FOR SENATE IN NOVEMBER.
>> SANCHIS FILED THE SUIT,
NAMING 3 FRIENDS LIVING IN
ORANGE AND OSCEOLA COUNTIES AS
PLAINTIFFS. HE'S ARGUING THE
STATE VIOLATED DISNEY'S FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND THE
RIGHTS OF TAXPAYERS BY
POTENTIALLY DUMPING A PRIVATE
COMPANY'S DEBT INTO THEIR
LAPS. FLORIDA HAS IN ITS
STATUTE, A TAXPAYER BILL OF
RIGHTS, WHICH LAYS OUT THE
RIGHTS OF EACH TAXPAYER TO
PROTECT THEMSELVES. HE SAYS
HIS CASE IS STRONG, BUT OTHER
LAWYER SPECIALIZING IN
GOVERNMENT LAW AREN'T AS
CONFIDENT. ONE TELLING WFTV
SANCHIS IS STRETCHING
PROTECTIONS THAT COURTS GIVE
TO ONE OR 2 TAXPAYERS AT A
TIME TO FIT ENTIRE COUNTIES OR
EVERYONE. IN FLORIDA, THE
ATTORNEY WONDERED WHY THE CASE
WAS FILED IN FEDERAL COURT
WHERE TAXPAYERS HAVE FEWER
RIGHTS THAN IN STATE COURTS.
WHY FILING IN FEDERAL COURT?
WHY NOT STATE COURT WHERE
TAXPAYERS HAVE A LITTLE BIT
MORE LEEWAY IN EAST, RIGHT?
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. MOST
A SECRET JUDGES ARE ELECTED
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I WILL SAY
THIS MANY OF THE ELECTED
JUDGES HAVE TO GO OUT AND
RAISE MONEY. I'D RATHER GO IN
FRONT OF A FEDERAL COURT JUDGE
THAT WAS APPOINTED BY
PRESIDENT CONFIRMED BY THE
SENATE LAST WEEK WE SAT DOWN
WITH ATTORNEY JACOB SCHUMER TO
TALK ABOUT THE LEGAL ROAD
AHEAD. EVEN IF DISNEY CHOOSES
TO WORK THINGS OUT QUIETLY, HE
SAYS HE EXPECTS AT LEAST ONE
REEDY CREEK BONDHOLDER TO SUE.
THAT'S BECAUSE REEDY CREEK'S
OWN CHARTER SAYS IT CAN'T BE
INTERFERED WITH ONE OF THE
DISTRICT OWE SOMEONE MONEY AND
IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT
SOMEONE COULD HAVE A BONE TO
PICK WITH FLORIDA'S
LEADERSHIP. SCHUMER SAYS IN
THAT CASE THEY COULD EASILY
FIND SOLID GROUND TO STAND ON.
ONE THING ABOUT THESE
GOVERNMENT BONDS IS THAT
THEY'RE TRADABLE LIKE STOCKS.
>> SO ANYBODY CAN JUST BUY
ONE.
ONE.
ONE. >>
ONE. >> AND THEN SUE BECAUSE THEIR
RIGHTS WERE AFFECTED BY THIS
LAW.
LAW.
LAW. >>
LAW. >> AND NIC, YOU EMAIL THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THIS
AFTERNOON. WHAT WAS THE
RESPONSE THERE?
RESPONSE THERE? >> LIKE A LOT OF AGENCIES.
THEY DON'T RESPOND TO ONGOING
LAWSUIT SPECIFICALLY. BUT A
SPOKESMAN DID TELL ME THEY'RE
WEIGHING ALL LEGAL
IMPLICATIONS HERE. YOU'RE AT
IT REITERATED HAD A PLAN THAT
ENSURES TAXPAYERS WON'T SUFFER
ANY CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE OF
WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST
COUPLE