Disney resort district passes on property tax cut

The Reedy Creek Improvement District, the small government created as part of Walt Disney's original development deal with the state of Florida, has informed the Orange Country Property Appraiser's Office that it intends to override a property tax reduction recently passed by state legislature.

Following the tax cut would reduce Reedy Creek's budget by around 1.2 million dollars, which it claims is too much to take from a district that provides ambulance and fire service, building inspections, pest control, and more for the Walt Disney World resort. "It is very difficult to deal with this type of reduction," said Reedy Creek District Administrator Ray Maxwell. "You've got to reduce staff, reduce service to accomplish that -- and we don't normally like to reduce services." Disney spokeswoman Kim Prunty claims the company has no objections to the override, stating "We're confident that Reedy Creek will take the appropriate action to maintain a budget that will enable it to continue to fulfill its mission."