What a difference a few days makes.
On Monday, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn was still pondering whether to kick in $150,000 toward a return of the CrossBay ferry in November.
Tampa is still finalizing a tight budget, made tighter by a $5 million deficit.
Buckhorn has been the fledgling ferry's biggest skeptic, saying the transit option, which has been largely a weekend recreation vehicle, should be able to make it on its own financial steam.
But Thursday, Buckhorn spokeswoman Ashley Bauman said the mayor has recommended that City Council approve the city's contribution at its July 26 meeting.
St. Petersburg City Council and the Hillsborough County Commission have already signed off. The Pinellas County Commission will consider the proposal on July 17.