It's Wednesday! We're movin' and groovin'.

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 82 and a low of 61.

Sounds like: "Problem With It," Waxahatchee and Plains

Today’s newsletter is 1,058 words — a 4-minute read.

If Florida voters approve a constitutional amendment to cut property taxes Nov. 3, Tampa Bay's elected officials will decide what to cut and what to keep with limited funds — including their own salaries.

Why it matters: Axios asked county commissioners and city council members in Tampa and St. Petersburg and Hillsborough and Pinellas counties how they were voting on Amendment 3 and whether they'd be willing to take a pay cut if it passed.

• More than half either didn't respond or declined to say how they'd vote.
• Of those who answered, just two elected officials — both of them Republican — said they were voting yes. Both also said they'd be willing to cut their salaries if the measure passes.

How it works: The amendment would increase the homestead exemption — a tax break for Floridians living in their primary residences — from $50,000 to $150,000 by 2027, then to $250,000 by 2028.

The big picture: Opponents say the amendment would leave some local governments starved for revenue as they scramble to maintain services and offset billions of dollars in losses.

• Supporters, aided by the DeSantis administration's take on DOGE, say local governments are overspending.

What they're saying: "The entire government needs to take a salary cut, including the commissioners," said Hillsborough Commissioner Joshua Wostal, one of the yes votes.

• Pinellas Commissioner Chris Latvala also said he was voting yes and would cut his salary but declined to elaborate on his position.
• Hillsborough commissioners make $127,320 a year. Pinellas commissioners make about $126,500.

Friction point: Luiz F. F. Garcia, a Republican challenging Democratic incumbent Hillsborough Commissioner Gwen Myers, told Axios he's voting yes on the amendment. Myers did not respond to Axios' questions.

• Across the bay, Pinellas commission incumbents facing opposition this November also didn't say how they were voting.
• Commissioner Kathleen Peters didn't respond, while Commissioner Brian Scott issued a statement that didn't address how he was casting his ballot. Both are Republicans.

Meanwhile, their Democratic opponents both told Axios they were voting no. DeSantis and state lawmakers "didn't think through the consequences," said Tim Hughes, the conservation chair for the Suncoast Sierra Club, who is running against Scott.

• David Glenn Jr., an architect who is challenging Peters, said the lack of tax revenue would lead governments to charge fees for services instead that "will most likely total much more than any 'alleged' property tax savings."

Yes, but: Unlike Hughes, Glenn said he wouldn't take a pay cut if elected, noting that it would be "a small drop in the bucket" and that he's not independently wealthy.

Read more

To curb the spread of dengue fever, Pinellas County Mosquito Control officials are taking to the skies.

Why it matters: Beginning as soon as this week, low-flying helicopters over areas of St. Petersburg and Clearwater will spray a mist that kills mosquito larvae and black flies.

Zoom in: The treatment, a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, isn't harmful to humans, pets or pollinators, per the county.

• But the helicopters, borrowed from Lee County, will be loud. They have to fly at low altitudes to better target the mist, county public works spokesperson Brian Pellerin said.
• While mosquito control trucks use a similar larvae-killing treatment, helicopters can cover more area in less time.

Yes, but: Residents should still take their own precautions, Pellerin said. That means dumping out standing water on a weekly basis, wearing bug spray and covering up when outside.

By the numbers: Pinellas has reported 37 cases of dengue, per the most recent Department of Health data.

• Hillsborough, which is also conducting aerial treatments this week, is up to 310 cases.

What's next: A timeline for Pinellas' treatments wasn't yet available Tuesday.

• The county is awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, Pellerin said, and deployment will be based on the weather. Spraying will happen between 9am and 3pm.
• Pellerin encouraged residents to sign up for Alert Pinellas to find out when a treatment is scheduled around them.

Spread the word

⚖️ State prosecutors including Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez warned TV stations of "criminal consequences" if they aired campaign ads highlighting the grand jury report on the Hope Florida scandal. (Tampa Bay Times)

🐶 USF researchers are developing a gene therapy aimed at treating cognitive decline in dogs. (Fox 13)

🌳 The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority is seeking firms to design a trail and park network underneath and around the Selmon Expressway. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)

🍰 Wright's Market is now open at Oxford Exchange, bringing the South Tampa favorite's bakery staples to Hyde Park. (That's So Tampa)

🏛️ St. Pete City Council members are exploring the creation of a historic preservation master plan aimed at maintaining the Sunshine City's charm as it continues to grow. (St. Pete Catalyst)

The weekend is almost here.

• Here are a few ways to spend it, in and around Tampa.

🦇 Bat Boy: The Musical, Carrollwood: Catch a local production of this horror comedy at the Carrollwood Cultural Center all weekend.

• Friday and Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 2pm | 4537 Lowell Road | Tickets are $35.

🐕 Pet Parade, Hyde Park: Watch Tampa's four-legged friends strut their stuff in Halloween costumes at this annual neighborhood parade.

• Saturday, 9am-noon | 906 South Orleans Avenue | Free to attend.

🛍️ Ybor City Saturday Market, Ybor City: Shop for handmade crafts, local art and gourmet goodies at one of Tampa Bay's longest-running outdoor markets.

• Saturday, 9am-3pm | 1800 East 8th Avenue | Free to attend.

👻 Riverwalk Trick-or-Treat, Downtown Tampa: The Tampa Riverwalk hosts its annual Halloween celebration at Cotanchobee Park, featuring trick-or-treating, a costume contest and a "Thriller" flash mob.

• Saturday, 4-9pm | 601 Water Street | Free to attend.

🥟 Taste of Latino Festival, Ybor City: Sample dishes from across Latin America as chefs compete for bragging rights in an empanada showdown and cooking contest.

• Sunday, noon-6pm | 1800 East 8th Avenue | Free to attend.

Tell a friend

🧢 Kathryn is making watch party plans for the World Series away games.

📚 Yacob is starting Kiese Laymon's "Heavy."

This newsletter was edited by Mike Szvetitz.