In a recent Central Florida Tourism Oversight District meeting, District Administrator Glen Gilzean addressed reports that the District would be spending less money on roadway repair work next year than it did this year. Gilzean said that he wanted to “address the media narrative that recently popped up in headlines that indicates our budget is cutting $3.1 million into roadway repairs and maintenance around Walt Disney World Resort”. BlogMickey.com reported on the reduction in budget for roadway repairs nearly two weeks ago. You can read our article below.
Here are Gilzean’s comments from yesterday’s meeting in which he said that lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain issues were to blame for the reduction in spending:
I would like to address the media narrative that recently popped up in headlines that indicates our budget is cutting $3.1 million into roadway repairs and maintenance around Walt Disney World Resort.
Our budget spends $13 million this upcoming fiscal year on roads around the district, including our investment of $2.7 million in phase one of our guardrail project to bring our guardrail up to the Florida Department of Transportation standards.
Any budget adjustments weren’t cuts. Instead, these were elements due to the construction and maintenance projects that we tangibly cannot fill due to lingering effects of the pandemic and global supply chain.
We intend to continue the regular maintenance schedule for fiscal year ’25, when those tools we need to undertake these projects become available.
In the meantime, we’ve returned $3.1 million of those dollars back to our taxpayers. Work can resume in the next fiscal year, barring continued supply chain disruption…
Gilzean did not elaborate on how lingering effects or supply chain issues from the COVID-19 pandemic might have caused a new or additional burden on construction, leading to a significant reduction in roadway project spending.
Additionally, the footnote in the proposed budget said that the reduction in spending is “due to option to due [sic] less paving rehab”, emphasis added. Gilzean made it sound like the District’s hands were tied, not that the reduction in spending was optional, as noted in the budget footnotes. Gilzean did not address the wording in the budget.
Regardless, the fiscal year 2024 budget was approved with a $3.1 million reduction in spending on roadway projects.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
I call BS on these clowns. They picket that money. They are trying run down area. What happened Mr d**ksantis thought Florida did good during pandemic have sure plus. Looks like another bs lie from Republicans and there corrupt puppets. Just another way stick it to Disney and the people of Florida. Crooks at large.
A bs excuse to cover up the continuing political punishment Desantis/ CFTOD seeks to impose on their largest source of taxpayer revenue.
The annual pass is why I put on 20 years and everyone I know will fight this cut off. We earned it and no one is going to take it away from us!! WE got paid crap for all those years and the pass is an offset. Governor Death Sentence can take his supporters and shove it!
More retaliation
Didn’t the SHAM board reduce Disney’s property tax.
Doesn’t Disney pay 82% of the taxes in the district.
Disney will never allow their Pristine property to get run down.
More excuses from the supermajority puppets.
I knew the roads would be the first to go. Disney roads will match all the other Florida roads that desantis is in charge of. This man is a maniac!!! God help us!!!
Yeah, it’s all B.S. Watch how this “guardrail” excuse will specifically target Disney down the line. Republicans like to play the long game because they LOVE it when people forget things. I’ll be keeping my eye on this, OBVIOUS, B.S. excuse. Gilzean is a VERY treacherous person, all eyes need to be on him too.
Such bulls**t and Desantis knows it!
No Floridian ever raised a brow to Disney, why because they did so much for Florida. Those roads were always well maintained and it was absolutely refreshing to get off that I4 mess onto better roads.
Blaming the media as usual