We mention this today not only because it is First Debate Eve, but also because of the fascinating work that continues to be done here and there throughout Florida under the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who, rather than yammering on about what he intends to do,  approaches drainage endeavors with vigor.

Examples include the reconfiguration of publicly funded New College in Sarasota into a classical liberal arts school from a breeding ground for leftist misinformation and mischief; suspensions of two state attorneys for betraying their oaths of office; the sidelining of two Gold Coast elections supervisors for near-criminal incompetence; and the suspension of the Broward County sheriff on whose watch the mass shooting at a Parkland high school occurred.

Now comes fresh, instructive news from, of all places, Walt Disney World. Or, more precisely, the DeSantis-appointed board overseeing operations of tax-supported infrastructure for the Mouse House formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

It seems “millions of dollars’ worth of perks and benefits” flowed from taxpayers to RCID members to Disney, according to the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. From the release:

For decades, the former Disney-run RCID used taxpayer funds to provide season passes and amusement experiences to its employees and their family members, cover the cost of discounts on hotels, merchandise, food, and beverages, and give its own board members VIP Main Entrance passes. In 2022 alone, it cost taxpayers over $2.5 million.

The media alert followed delivery of an invoice utterly without comment by Disney to the CFTOD (suggesting it was business as usual), dropping jaws among the DeSantis appointees and sparking the new board’s what-in-hell-is-this response. 

“In addition to constituting unethical benefits and perks, the scheme raises significant questions regarding self-dealing as the board members were only permitted a maximum of $100 per month in compensation per the Reedy Creek Improvement District Act,” CFTOD said Monday.

The latest Disney bill sent to the new CFTOD included a $492,382 charge for “RCID Tickets” and $16,837 for “RCID Merchandise Discount Usage.”

The total invoice to be paid to Disney for a period ending on Dec. 31, 2022, was $533,522, documents show.

Reedy Creek? More like Greedy Creek.

OK, OK. The “taxpayer” in this case is Disney itself and resort affiliates, which account for about 86% of RCID tax receipts. So what this largely amounts to is the company churning its own dollars back into the home kitty — an arrangement adored only by corporate accountants and the CEOs who employ them.

Still, the new board sniffs something out of whack, so it’s enlisted the Florida inspector general to check it out. Meanwhile, administrator Glen Gilzean declared an end to the practice. Instead, district employees will receive an annual $1,000 stipend they can use however they please, whether it’s continuing to cash in on annual passes and buying down overnight resort rates, or spending it on car repairs.

After all, Gilzean noted, an internal analysis revealed only about half of RCID employees used the annual pass perk. Meanwhile, district employees, who number about 400, will continue to have access to the parks to carry out their official duties.

All of this occurred against the backdrop of the lawsuits and counter-lawsuits filed by Disney and the State of Florida over the dissolution of the RCID board. Disney claims its First Amendment rights were violated because it publicly objected to the state’s Parental Rights in Education statute (critics prefer a grumpy misnomer).

One thing is certain: Had oversight of RCID not switched hands, Disney and the district would have gone right on with their cozy money-laundering arrangement to infinity and beyond. Now that evident misbehavior has been exposed, and taxpayer funds will be spent more prudently, efficiently, and transparently.

And that, bated-breath debate anticipators, that’s also what draining the swamp looks like.