The average Tampa Bay resident will see a federal tax cut of nearly $4,000 in 2026 thanks to the "big, beautiful bill," according to an analysis from the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group that mostly supports lower taxes.

Why it matters: That's money people can spend on rent, groceries or bills, which may be needed next year as inflation outpaces wages, and tariffs threaten to increase costs even further.

State of play: The spending bill Congress passed last month made President Trump's first term tax cuts permanent — and added on a bunch more.

• The new tax breaks include deductions for tips and overtime income, a cut for seniors and an expanded child-care credit.
• These are temporary provisions.

By the numbers: At $7,492, residents of Sarasota County will see the largest average tax cut next year in the Tampa Bay area, per the Tax Foundation.

• Hernando County residents will see the smallest — $2,415.
• For Pinellas County taxpayers: $4,766.
• And it's $3,896 for Hillsborough County residents.

Zoom out: There are broad geographic differences in tax benefits from the spending bill due to variations in state and local taxes, plus areas where more high-earners live, Axios' Emily Peck and Jason Lalljee report.

• Florida's Collier County residents will see some of the largest average tax breaks in the state ($14,315), while taxpayers in Gadsden County will see the smallest ($1,714).
• The largest cuts in the country are going to mountain resort towns where high-earners and business owners live. In Teton County, Wy., residents will see an average tax cut of $37,373, the highest in the U.S.
• The smallest breaks are in rural counties — like Loup County, in Nebraska, where the average tax cut is $824.

Between the lines: Business owners will get some of the biggest cuts — thanks, in part, to tax breaks being made permanent for research and development expenses and other provisions.

• Those in high-tax coastal regions will also get big breaks, thanks to the increased cap on state and local tax deductions (known as SALT — also temporary).
• For example, the average tax cut in 2026 for Westchester County, N.Y. — a high-income New York City suburb poised for a big SALT payoff — is $6,644. But just to the south, in the Bronx, the average tax cut is $1,761.

Reality check: The "big, beautiful" bill also made some steep cuts to social spending on food benefits and Medicaid, but those mostly don't kick in until 2027 and 2028.

• For many lower-income Americans, those cuts will outweigh any benefits of these tax breaks.

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Last year's brutal hurricane season created a split-screen effect for St. Petersburg home values, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Why it matters: The report, based on an analysis by the nonprofit Resilience Action Fund, underscores the cost of living in a community vulnerable to flooding.

One one side is Shore Acres, the coastal neighborhood that saw devastating flooding during Hurricane Helene.

• The nonprofit examined 36 homes bought in the neighborhood between 2000 and 2024, per the Times.
• In the five months after Hurricane Milton, those homeowners sold at an average loss of 35% compared to what they originally paid.

On the other side is Disston Heights, an inland community that saw less hurricane damage.

• The nonprofit looked at 21 homes purchased over the same time period and sold in the months after the storms. Those owners gained an average of 25%, according to the Times.

Caveat: The report doesn't account for insurance payments that many who sold their homes received, Kevin Batdorf, a real estate broker and president of the Shore Acres Civic Association, told the Times.

• Those who sold soon after the storms were also the most desperate to leave, he said.

What's next: Batdorf told the Times he expects property values to rise longterm as more homeowners raise their homes.

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High school baseball fixture Tony Saladino Jr. died Tuesday at 89. The Ybor City native founded the Saladino Tournament in 1981 and taught physical education in Hillsborough County schools for more than 50 years. (WUSF)

🤒 A case of dengue fever was contracted from a mosquito bite within Hillsborough, local health officials said. The viral, flu-like illness is spread by infected mosquitos. (Fox 13)

• County workers are spraying mosquito control products and canvassing neighborhoods for breeding grounds like standing water in bird baths and pet bowls.
• Officials are urging residents to take precautions such as draining standing water, wearing protective clothing and keeping windows closed.

Floridians have embraced oat milk — but not as much as our neighbors in the Northeast and West.

By the numbers: About a third of Florida coffee orders completed through payment app Square in May included oat milk, according to company data.

• That's right around the average for Square orders in the U.S. and Canada.

Zoom out: More than 45% of coffee orders in New Mexico, Maine, Oregon and Vermont included the vegan alternative.

• Wyoming had the smallest share at just 19%.

From our flora and fauna to our sports franchises to our citrus-studded history, Tampa Bay has a strong emoji lineup.

Yes, but: Which one represents us the best?

• Vote here, and we'll reveal the results in the days to come.
• And thanks to everyone who submitted nominations!