I want to thank The Morning Call for its article and editorial, and I say this as someone who has been a severe critic of the publication, as columnist Bill White, editorial page editor Glenn kranzley, and Easton editor Bob Orenstein, and other staffers, can attest.

I refer readers to the lead editorial, “Who owns slots casinos must be clear,” published in today’s edition of The Morning Call.

I refer readers also to The Morning Call article, “Taxpayers may pay for promoting slot parlors,” to which the August 16, 2006, posting on my Billy Bytes blog has a link.

The article and editorial provide an invaluable public service.Before I was diagnosed with colon cancer in April of this year, I was a declared independent candidate for governor challenging incumbent Ed Rendell.

I knew, of course, it would be a daunting task, garnering the 67,000-odd signatures needed on nominating papers. But with the aid of the Internet - through my www.billybytes.com website and Billy Bytes blog - I felt I might be able to pull it off.

My two main issues would have been Act 71, legalized gambling, and its corollary, Act 72, the “back-end” school property-tax referendum, and the environment.

I was then, and still am now, opposed to these acts and to the unbridled development in Pennsylvania, especially on the environmentally sensitive wet lands, floodplains, and steep slopes.

I remain optimistic that Act 71 and Act 72 can be repealed and that developments in downtown Easton like the Arcadia Properties’ Riverwalk, Bushkill Creek Corridor, and proposed Ashley Development project on South Third Street - all situated in floodplain - can be stopped.

How in good conscience can officials continue to condone development in the floodplains after three destructive floods in fewer than two years - catastrophies many of whose victims are still suffering emotional and economic pain.T