You know what they say, double the city, double the fun. Okay, no one says that.
Anyway, there’s a lot of news to follow in both Tampa + St. Pete. No worries, as usual, we’re breaking it down for you:
St. Pete’s $1.18 billion budget
So, what’s the latest with the Burg’s budget? Late last week, St. Pete City Council approved the tentative fiscal year 2026 budget, the St. Pete Catalyst reports.
Highlights of the prospective $1.18 billion budget includes:
- An a 3.93% increase in property taxes
- $47.26 million on stormwater operations
- $650,000 for the Complete Streets program
- $260,000 for the Childhood Homelessness Project
- $170.46 million for the St. Petersburg Police Department and Community Enrichment Administration
The final budget hearing is booked for Thursday, Sept. 25.
Tampa transportation upgrades
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners recently transferred $13 million to Tampa to beef up 13 city intersections, according to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The work will be done over the next five years.
Where at? Here’s a few of the greatest hits:
- Howard Avenue at Cypress Street
- Himes Avenue at Gandy Boulevard
- Manhattan Avenue at Bay to Bay Boulevard
Check out the rest of the list.
Mucking out Jungle Lake
Truly. The Jungle Lake Restoration Plan is well underway after two recent-ish sewage spills.
The 10-acre lake — which sits in the middle of the bustling Walter Fuller Park — essentially serves as a retention pond for the surrounding 470 acres. Back in 2023, a 25-by-25-ft island with 540 plants was installed to help improve the water quality.
But there’s more: Leaders plan to install four more floating wetlands.
