But for now, at least, DeSantis is leaving alone another valuable perk: $578 million in credits Disney can use to reduce its state income taxes through 2040. Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for the governor, said DeSantis hasn’t asked the legislature to repeal the tax credits because “it’s not a carve-out for a specific corporation.” Any company can apply for the incentives, she said, and “the bigger investments will qualify for the bigger tax credits.”
Florida economic development officials certified the credits in February 2020, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg News under a public records request. In its application for the incentives, Disney cited plans to move as many as 2,000 staffers, making an average of $120,000 a year, to a new corporate campus in the state. The campus will be in Lake Nona, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Orlando.
The company, one of the state’s largest employers because of its theme parks there, is investing $864 million in the relocation, including office construction, supplies and software improvements. Disney considered other states, including California, New York and Connecticut.
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