Lawmakers in Florida move to end Disney's special self-governing status

 

Lawmakers in Florida move to end Disney's special self-governing status

Transcript¹

Florida Republicans are advancing legislation that could end Disney World's special status following a spat² with the company over its criticism of the so-called "Don't Say Gay" law.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

It's been a bit of a rough week for The Walt Disney Company. CEO Bob Iger announced yesterday that the corporation is cutting 7,000 jobs in an attempt to slash³ more than 5 billion in costs.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Yeah, and this comes just as Florida is expected to end an agreement that has given Disney World special control over its famous property near Orlando. A bill moving through the Republican-controlled legislature makes good on Governor Ron DeSantis' pledge to end Disney's unique status. Disney World has enjoyed self-governance in Florida for more than half a century.

MART?NEZ: NPR's Greg Allen joins us now from Miami. Greg, so what kind of autonomy does Disney World have in Florida?

GREG ALLEN, BYLINE⁴: Well, A, you know, since the 1960s, Disney's had what it's called its own independent special district that has powers like a municipal government. It's a body that issues bonds, builds and maintains roads, sewers⁵ and other infrastructure⁶. It also operates the fire and police departments, all the things that Disney needs to run its big theme park complex near Orlando. The measure that's on track to be approved this week replaces that old district with this almost identical entity⁷ that now will answer to the governor instead of Disney. The main thing the new structure does is that the governor will now appoint all members to the board; Disney won't appoint board members. In fact, the bill says that no one can serve on the board who has any relationship with the company. And there's a name change, a few other minor⁸ adjustments. But it's all enough to allow Governor DeSantis, yesterday, to claim it as a win.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

RON DESANTIS: This is obviously now going to be controlled by the state of Florida, which is no longer self-governing for them. So there's a new sheriff in town, and that's just the way it's going to be.

MART?NEZ: It seems like he's getting a lot of glee over this. So why would the governor want a claim of a win over Disney?

ALLEN: You know, this all began last year as DeSantis ramped⁹ up his campaign against what he calls woke politics and ideology¹⁰. He signed a bill that limits what teachers can say about sexual orientation¹¹ or gender¹² identity in schools. And after Disney took some heat from its own employees for not fighting to stop that measure, Disney's CEO belatedly said that he would work to undo¹³ the law. DeSantis then took that as an opportunity to call out the company for behavior that he considers woke. And, in short order, he got the legislature to pass a bill penalizing¹⁴ Disney, dissolving its independent special district.

MART?NEZ: How are Florida Democrats¹⁵ responding to all this?

ALLEN: Well, Democrats don't have a lot of power in Florida. They say some changes would be worthwhile, but they don't like what's happening here. At a hearing yesterday, Democratic House member Anna Eskamani accused the governor of suppressing freedom of speech.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ANNA ESKAMANI: This is an attempt to silence critical independent speech and thought in Florida. And we've already seen a chilling effect of businesses across the state.

ALLEN: Eskamani offered an amendment¹⁶ to change the name of the new special district to, quote, "Florida's Attempt to Silence Critical and Independent Speech and Thought," with an acronym¹⁷ of FASCIST¹⁸. That measure failed.

MART?NEZ: Is Disney going to fight back? What are they saying about this?

ALLEN: Well, the bill's sponsor said he was in regular touch with Disney as this bill was developed. The company hasn't said much, only says it's monitoring the progress of the bill and it will continue to operate in Florida. Eskamani says under the new plan, Disney continues to receive many of the tax breaks and other benefits that it's had for more than 50 years, though, but just with that one significant change - the company now has to answer to Governor DeSantis. Here's Eskamani again.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ESKAMANI: I often see this as a low-security prison that the company is operating within, where they can pretty much do what they want to do. But if they go off course, they'll be punished.

ALLEN: You know, a key point in all this is the bill doesn't change the district's ability to issue bonds and service its debt, meaning the taxpayers¹⁹ won't be on the hook for its more than billion dollars in debt. Fitch Ratings has given it a thumbs up, saying the new structure addresses uncertainties²⁰ that came up last year when lawmakers first voted to dissolve the old district.

MART?NEZ: All right. NPR's Greg Allen in Miami. Greg, thanks.

ALLEN: You're welcome.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 spat   

n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声

参考例句：

• Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。
• There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。

3 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 sewers   

n.阴沟，污水管，下水道( sewer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sewers discharge out at sea. 下水道的污水排入海里。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Another municipal waste problem is street runoff into storm sewers. 有关都市废水的另外一个问题是进入雨水沟的街道雨水。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

7 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

8 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

9 ramped   

土堤斜坡( ramp的过去式和过去分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• With the arrival of George Lucas, the pace has ramped up. 随着乔治·卢卡斯的到来，速度大大加快。
• They also sold corporate bonds as the global financial crisis ramped up. 在全球金融危机加剧之际，他们还抛售了公司债券。

10 ideology   

n.意识形态，(政治或社会的)思想意识

参考例句：

• The ideology has great influence in the world.这种思想体系在世界上有很大的影响。
• The ideal is to strike a medium between ideology and inspiration.我的理想是在意识思想和灵感鼓动之间找到一个折衷。

11 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

12 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

13 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

14 penalizing   

对…予以惩罚( penalize的现在分词 )； 使处于不利地位

参考例句：

• This is more than just penalizing a company that you are mad at. 她说：这将远远超过惩罚一个你感到不满的公司。

15 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

17 acronym   

n.首字母简略词，简称

参考例句：

• That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说，这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
• TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理，储存和处置设施的一个缩写。

18 fascist   

adj.法西斯主义的；法西斯党的；n.法西斯主义者，法西斯分子

参考例句：

• The strikers were roughed up by the fascist cops.罢工工人遭到法西斯警察的殴打。
• They succeeded in overthrowing the fascist dictatorship.他们成功推翻了法西斯独裁统治。

19 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

20 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告