Lobbyist away Florida legislature
Theme park spare no expense relative to lobbying state legislature regarding company interests. Declining economic times have cause giants like Disney World, SeaWorld & Universal Orlando to cut back both on certain attractions and labor force.
Some theme park moguls have spent a combined amount of $750,000 to influence state legislature regarding laws, tourism, and other goodies. A score of victories last year range from increased advertising to issues surrounding employees carrying weapons in their trunks.
Of course representatives declined to discuss the gamut of lobbying efforts by these major theme parks. Officials defend theme parks by saying that it was a necessary expense between the biggest theme parks that employ more than 80,000 employees.
As one of the largest employers, there are a wide range of interests that may be considered by the states legislature regarding tourist related matters keeping Disney engaged in the process. The state publishes reports mandated by 2005 laws that reveal money spent on efforts to influence state representatives.
Reports show the total expenditures that these businesses spent to lobby legislature in 2008. Just last year Disney spent up to $220,000 in fees alone where Universal spent up to $150,000 on lobbying firms to influence representatives.
The list goes on and on, up to $380,000 was spent by Anheuser-Busch for the same purpose last year as well. A range of lobbying efforts by these businesses range of items including permits, lawsuit liabilities, issues unique to the industry, marketing advertising and tax codes.
After the state had cut the budget last year by nearly 10 percent, theme park lobbying was successful in increasing the funds for the agency Visit Florida to almost $36 million representing an increase of 7%.
The successful efforts of these influential theme parks squashed several plans including Florida's Keys plan to build affordable housing and state laws were weakened that mandate schools to open no more than 2 weeks before labor day.
Not all efforts by theme parks were successful last year: one of the fiercest battles was over the gun permit pushed by the National Rifle Association allowing employees to keep a weapon in their trunk during working hours. At the last minute, Disney circumvented this law becoming exempt on allot of its Central Florida property because of it's permit to launch fire-works in it's theme parks.
Some theme park moguls have spent a combined amount of $750,000 to influence state legislature regarding laws, tourism, and other goodies. A score of victories last year range from increased advertising to issues surrounding employees carrying weapons in their trunks.
Of course representatives declined to discuss the gamut of lobbying efforts by these major theme parks. Officials defend theme parks by saying that it was a necessary expense between the biggest theme parks that employ more than 80,000 employees.
As one of the largest employers, there are a wide range of interests that may be considered by the states legislature regarding tourist related matters keeping Disney engaged in the process. The state publishes reports mandated by 2005 laws that reveal money spent on efforts to influence state representatives.
Reports show the total expenditures that these businesses spent to lobby legislature in 2008. Just last year Disney spent up to $220,000 in fees alone where Universal spent up to $150,000 on lobbying firms to influence representatives.
The list goes on and on, up to $380,000 was spent by Anheuser-Busch for the same purpose last year as well. A range of lobbying efforts by these businesses range of items including permits, lawsuit liabilities, issues unique to the industry, marketing advertising and tax codes.
After the state had cut the budget last year by nearly 10 percent, theme park lobbying was successful in increasing the funds for the agency Visit Florida to almost $36 million representing an increase of 7%.
The successful efforts of these influential theme parks squashed several plans including Florida's Keys plan to build affordable housing and state laws were weakened that mandate schools to open no more than 2 weeks before labor day.
Not all efforts by theme parks were successful last year: one of the fiercest battles was over the gun permit pushed by the National Rifle Association allowing employees to keep a weapon in their trunk during working hours. At the last minute, Disney circumvented this law becoming exempt on allot of its Central Florida property because of it's permit to launch fire-works in it's theme parks.
posted by michael at
9:57 AM
