On Monday, Disney CEO Bob Iger hit back at Florida Gov. Ron DeSandis, calling his efforts to rein in the company’s power “anti-business” and “against the interests of the state.”

Iger’s comments came as DeSandis called for a state investigation into last-minute actions by outgoing Disney board members to be replaced by people of his choice.

“A year ago, the company took a stand on Florida’s pending legislation, and while it may not have handled its position very well, it has the right to free speech just like anyone else,” Iger said at the company’s annual meeting. . shareholders on Monday. According to him, De Sandys “was very angry at the position that Disney had taken and seemed determined to get back at us, including appointing a new board of directors to oversee the property and business.”

Iger stated that “Any act simply to get back at a company sounds not only anti-business, it’s also anti-Floridian.” He noted that Disney plans to invest $17 billion in Walt Disney World over the next decade, which will create 13,000 jobs in the state and many other indirect jobs.

De Sandys strips Disney of special privileges

Ron DeSandis recently signed legislation that removes Walt Disney Co. 55-year control of a special area covering Florida’s theme parks. The move comes after the company opposed de Sandys’ parental rights law last year, meaning he will appoint members to the five-member Reedy Creek County Improvement Board.

The creation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, and the control it gave Disney of 27,000 acres (11,000 hectares) in Florida, was a critical element in the company’s plans to build near Orlando in the 1960s. futuristic city along with theme park. However, the city never materialized – instead, it turned into an Epcot theme park.

Special concessions were granted to Disney in 1967, prior to the start of construction on the park, and gave it jurisdiction over approximately 25,000 acres of land in Orange and Osceola counties, covering 19 landowners, including the Walt Disney Co. and its subsidiaries. Walt Disney provides services such as electricity, water, fire service, collects taxes from the park management company, and issues debts.

Controversy over the “Don’t Say Gay” law

Pressure to “punish” Disney came after he announced he would suspend political giving in the state and pledged to support organizations opposed to a new state law restricting the teaching of sexual orientation or gender identity in the classroom.

Ron DeSandy’s measures come as he is at loggerheads with Disney after the company criticized a new law banning the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. A recent Florida law requires you to “not use the word ‘gay’.” This law certainly offends employees who belong to the LGBT community.

Republicans backing the bill say parents, not teachers, should talk to their children about their gender or sexuality in their early years of school. Therefore, Florida prohibits sexual orientation classes for children between the ages of 5 and 9. They also believe that children should not receive relevant messages through entertainment content.

Source: Financial Times, Reuters, AP.