St. Petersburg City Council member and House 53 candidate Rick Kriseman is being attacked by a newly formed ECO as being pro-tax, despite the fact the Democrat supported a five percent tax rate cut just last month.

The group formed by a St. Petersburg neurosurgeon, Cut Taxes Now, says Kriseman should have cut deeper. Dr. David McKalip said the ECO is planning campaign mailings and has already scheduled a tax revolt rally Oct. 11. Kriseman has "continuously voted to increase taxes to the current unfair levels." Kriseman calls the charges "misleading."

Kriseman, who is running against 23-year-old former USF-St. Pete student government president Thomas Piccolo, has never voted for a property tax rate increase. Because of growth in the city and property value spikes, however, city tax revenues have close to doubled since Kriseman took office.