Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Chairman Martin Garcia is not affording any slack to the former Reedy Creek Improvement District board. The now-dissolved AHJ, which oversaw the Disney-owned area of Orlando, is said to acted somewhat suspiciously.
During a board meeting today, as the Orlando Business Journal reported, Garcia raised concerns about $8M per year in law enforcement overtime pay attributed to visits to Disney-owned properties. Seeing that the Walt Disney Company shares the district with other taxpayers, Garcia stated he was confused about why so many OT hours were afforded to the Mouse’s house.
The chairman also claimed that “… it appears that there are a number of other naughty things that this old board did with district funds, so we are going to look for further savings.” An investigation into the numbers by District Administrator Glenton Gilzean, Jr. produced what Garcia called “wasteful.”
However, an Orange County Sheriff’s Office representative, Michelle Guido, countered the claim about Reedy Creek’s inflated overtime numbers. She responded that Disney is hiring officers OCSO employs while they’re “off-duty.” Hiring these employees does not impact OCSO’s presence in other areas of the district.
Aside from the mudslinging, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has agreed to decrease the millage and tax rates on properties within Reedy Creek. The new rate, lowered from 13.9 mills to 12.95 mills, will go into effect on October 1st.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District isn’t without its issues and questionable practices. Not too long ago, the Creedy Creek fire department claimed they had finally won their long struggle to get new equipment and pay increases, only to strike it down by the new board.
It’s a battle between two evils. One side is a Disney-run puppet, while the other is a board stuffed with people nominated by a Govenor who may have a political vendetta against the Walt Disney Company. Either way, the losers in this will ultimately be the tourists, local residents, and first responders.
[Souce: Orlando Business Journal]
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