Florida's Ron DeSantis threatens Disney with tolls and taxes

In a speech at a university in Michigan this week, Mr DeSantis called Disney "a joke"

Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis has escalated his feud with Disney, threatening to impose taxes on its hotels and roads that lead to the theme park.

He also promised to strip the company of its control over development in a district that oversees its property.

"We are going to win on every single issue involving Disney," he announced at a speech in Michigan.

The threat is the latest in the state's ongoing dispute with the company.

Mr DeSantis is widely expected to run in the 2024 presidential election and is seen as a front-runner Republican candidate.

His dispute with the entertainment giant began when Disney criticised the state's Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed by critics as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

The measure bans education about sexual orientation and gender identity for pupils aged nine and under. Mr DeSantis has pushed to expand the legislation to cover all grades.

Since Disney expressed opposition to the policy, Mr DeSantis has pushed for more governmental control over its Orlando theme parks.

For over 50 years, the Walt Disney World territory operated within Florida's Reedy Creek Improvement District and essentially functioned as a self-governing area, controlling utilities and a fire department.

In a speech at conservative Hillsdale College in Michigan on Thursday, Mr DeSantis called Disney "a joke".

"They are not superior to the people of Florida," he said. "Ultimately, we're going to win on every single issue involving Disney, I can tell you that."

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In February, Mr DeSantis signed a bill subjecting the company to more layers of oversight through a five-member state-appointed board. 

But last week, the new board said its powers had been stymied by a last-minute agreement that gives the entertainment giant almost total control over development in the district in perpetuity or until "21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, king of England".

Disney is "acting like somehow that they pulled one over on the state," Mr DeSantis said this week of the last-minute deal.

"But now that Disney has reopened this issue, we're not just going to void the development agreement they tried to do, we're going to look at things like taxes on the hotels, we're going to look at things like tolls on the roads," he said, adding the state would also look to develop property it owns near Disney.

The BBC has reached out to Disney for comment.

In a statement last week, the company - which is among Florida's largest employers - said all agreements signed between Disney and the district were "appropriate" and discussed and approved in "open, noticed public forums".

Earlier this week, during a meeting with shareholders, Disney CEO Bob Iger took aim at Mr DeSantis, calling his actions "anti-business" and "anti-Florida", and arguing the company had a "right to freedom of speech just like individuals do".