ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Facing a backlash, Walt Disney World's governing district will pay a stipend to employees whose to the theme park resort were eliminated under a policy made by a new district administrator and board members who are allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The stipend will be $3,000 a year, which is around the equivalent value of the theme park passes, Glen Gilzean, district administrator of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, told board members during a meeting Wednesday evening. The board then unanimously approved the stipend.
Board members said they had taken to heart the who said the free passes gave them lasting memories with their families and allowed relatives to see the fruits of their work. Without the free passes, the parks would be unaffordable, many employees said.
鈥淲e heard you and have worked to respond accordingly,鈥� said board member Ron Peri.
Employees had enjoyed the perk for decades when Disney controlled the governing district. The district was taken over by DeSantis and the Florida Legislature earlier this year in retaliation to last year to a state law critics have called 鈥� ,鈥� which banned classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. Formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the now renamed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District provides municipal services like mosquito control, drainage and wastewater treatment.
In justifying their elimination, board members claimed the $2.5 million in theme park season passes, as well as discounts on hotels, merchandise, food and beverages, that their Disney-supporting predecessors provided governing district employees amounted to unethical benefits and perks.
The arrangement was self-serving to the company because it funneled money back to Disney, with the district footing the bill, according to board members. Outside experts, though, have likened it more to an employee benefit rather than a taxpayer scam, similar to the way professors at a university may get free passes to athletic events or free tuition for family members.
鈥淭he old way this program was structured could no longer legally be continued,鈥� board member Brian Aungst said Wednesday evening.
DeSantis, who is , took over the the governing district previously controlled by Disney allies through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But the new supervisors鈥� authority over design and construction was restricted by the company鈥檚 agreements with Disney-supporting predecessors, which were signed before the new board took over.
In response, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that repealed those agreements.
DeSantis in federal court, claiming the governor violated the company鈥檚 free speech rights. The in state court, seeking to nullify the agreements.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on X, formerly known as Twitter: .
Mike Schneider, The Associated Press
