A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit on Tuesday against the state of Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis over the termination of Disney World’s Reedy Creek special district.
Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida dismissed the lawsuit filed on behalf of the residents of Orange and Osceola counties claiming that the dissolution of Disney’s Reedy Creek bill was to punish Disney World and subsequently Florida taxpayers.
“This lawsuit is one of the very few mechanisms available to taxpayers in such matters. Taxpayer lawsuits such as this one are meant to check and restrict official government misconduct. Plaintiffs in this matter are alleging and will prove that the bill which was signed on Friday, will lead to significant injury to taxpayers, and they clearly have a personal stake in the outcome of this litigation,” the lawsuit stated.
Judge Altonaga dismissed the lawsuit on two grounds. Orlando Weekly reported:
The first stated that the issue at hand was a state-level problem, and the federal court was the wrong venue for the case. The second argued that the plaintiffs did not have standing, as they could not prove any injury to themselves. The law has yet to take effect and the tax structure of a newly non-independent Disney World is not certain.
“Plaintiffs’ theory of standing is that the elimination of the Reedy Creek Improvement District might result in financial harm to Plaintiffs by virtue of a tax increase that has not yet been enacted,” U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia Altonaga wrote in dismissing the case. “That indirect and highly speculative alleged injury cannot support federal jurisdiction.”
You can read the ruling here.