Here’s some of the highlights from the nearly $2 billion budget:
There’s a clear focus on storm resilience, with $79 million budgeted to replace wastewater pipes + $11 million for permanent backup generators for pumps.
The line by line budget also includes $455 million for Tampa’s police and fire departments, including new firefighting equipment + staff.
This isn’t the budget’s final form. City Council will iron out the details over the next couple months — and surely suggest some changes — before it’s finalized in the fall. Let us know what parts you’d like us to dig into, and (lightly nerdy) Editor Bailey will happily oblige.
Events
Events
Monday, July 21
Epic Chef: Week Two | 6 p.m. | Epicurean Hotel | $400 | In this installment of the high-stakes competition, The Birria Bros take try to best Amalie Arena.
Elise Kova | ARCANA ACADEMY with Sarah Penner | 7:30-9 p.m. | Oxford Exchange | $38 | Whisk away to the downtown bookstore to listen to authors Elise Kova and Sarah Penner discuss the romance novel following a woman who wields magical tarot cards and ends up in a false engagement.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox | 7:35 p.m. | George M. Steinbrenner Field | $14+ | Sit back for some outdoor baseball as the Rays take on Pope Leo’s favorite team.
Tuesday, July 22
727 Day Special | Tuesday, July 22-Sunday, July 27 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Imagine Museum | $7.27 | Lean into your area code pride the whole week of 7/27 by picking up two general admission tickets to Sunshine City glass museum.
Wednesday, July 23
Understanding Cinematography | 5-7 p.m. | Florida Museum of Photographic Arts | $82 | Explore how some of the greatest film directors — Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Alfred Hitchcock — crafted their iconic movies.
Composting Workshop | 6-7 p.m. | Lake Vista Rec Center, St. Petersburg | Free | Turn those post-dinner scraps into usable, nutrient-rich fertilizer, then spread the love to your backyard beauties.
Jimmy McCartney | 7-8:30 p.m. | Funny Bone Comedy Club | $15 | He performs at military bases across the country with the USO, now listen to him joke about the misfortune of being human while relating to your own struggles.
Looking for help with home projects, debt consolidation, or planning for retirement? | Photo provided by Unison
Make home improvements? Book a trip? Start saving?
If you’re a homeowner, you likely already know that your home has equity you can tap into. HELOCs might come to mind — but they’re not the only option.
Enter: Equity Sharing Home Loans. This flexible alternative allows borrowers to access their home’s equity at a below-market interest rate (read: lower monthly payments than a traditional loan).
Interested? See how much you could be eligible for — and how low your payment could be.
Wondering how Hillsborough County Public Schools is spending its half-penny sales tax dollars? So far, the district has spent $1 billion on projects like fixing air conditioning systems, playgrounds, and roofs. What’s next? HCPS is working on $180 million of maintenance projects this year, including a $16.29 million HVAC renovation. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Open
Try out the sauna + cold plunge thing — for free. Westchase’s new recovery studio, Revivery, just opened for a preview month. Book a free VIP session through Monday, Aug. 18. (That’s So Tampa)
Mansion Monday
Stamp your claim on a Mediterranean masterpiece right here in Tampa Bay. Slotted on one of the most prestigious streets on Davis Islands, this 5-bed, 4-bath home features travertine tile floors, a fireplace, French doors, two docks, and open-water access. Take a tour.
Real Estate
Get ready for new neighbors, TBAY is growing. The area ranked No. 15 on Construction Coverage’s list of large metro areas building the most homes. The study determined the region is adding 13.4 new housing units for every 1,000 existing homes.
Biz
In 1998, the most common job in our state was a retail salesperson, according to a recent study. Nowadays, the most common job is… a retail salesperson. Must be because our small business scene is so special. (Visual Capitalist)
Try This
Do you know someone who puts the “bomb” in “bombshell?” While the country is still coming down from its collective “Love Island USA” hysteria, the producers are already looking for Season 8 applicants. If you’d like to see Fiji without the drama, Tampa International Airport is a good place to start.
Pets
Listen up, cat lovers. CatVideoFest is coming to the Sun-Ray Cinema beginning Saturday, Aug. 2 with a top-notch compilation of feline shenanigans. But if you think your cat is a star, you can snag them some screen time by submitting a video. Get the details on how to submit.
Sports
Channel 10 WTSP Sports Director Evan Closky shares his take on the Tampa Bay Rays’ tumultuous first half of the 2025 season. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Tampa Bay Rays with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Home
Have a project you’ve been itching to work on? Think: bathroom renovation, upgrading your HVAC system, or maybe a backyard makeover. Wondering how to pay for it? Hint: A HELOC isn’t the only way to access your home’s equity. Enter: Unison.*
Grab a cocktail, lemonade, and a romantic table for two on Pia’s Trattoria’s patio. | Photo by @thetbaytoday
Kids, this is the story of how I met your mother, and it was all thanks to TBAYtoday.
Ok, so maybe that’s not exactly how the 2000s sitcom went, but if Ted Mosby had consulted us for date night ideas, we could’ve shaved the show down to two seasons (and saved his kids a lot of time).
Regardless of whether you’ve met “the one” or are hoping to impress someone new, we’ve got 50+ local date night ideas that are legen — wait for it — dary.
If the way to their heart is through their stomach
Tuck into pistachio crusted cutlets and chicken rigatoni at the ever-cozy Oggi Italian on Davis Islands. Then, pretend you’re actually dining on the Amalfi Coast by grabbing a spritz from walk-up window, Buchette.
Psst. Wondering what everyone bought during this year’s Prime Day? Here are the top most shopped items that The Buy team recommended — and some of them are still on sale:
👀 Slip into a soft pair of high-waisted leggings with NexiEpoch’s light-compression pair.
👀 It’s hard to say no to a two-in-one vacuum and mop roomba from iRobot, especially with features like “Clean While I’m Away.”
👀 Your under-sink storage space gets a lot more functional when you use these pull-out cabinet organizers that can fit around plumbing.
👀 Anker’s magnetic charging station charges devices two times as fast, all while replacing messy cords.
👀 The perfect lipstick doesn’t exi — ope, we nearly forgot about Clinique’s sheer, flattering Almost Lipstick.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
I’ve located my latest target in my quest to captain every kind of boat (that I can) down as many of Tampa Bay’s waterways as possible. Right now, Riverwalk Boating Company is renting out mini vintage light pink or red power boats.
Book online and pick it up right next to the Convention Center.
}})
