But yet another town meeting was held last week at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, sponsored by state Rep. Rosita Youngblood and several community groups including the Multi-Community Alliance, Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront, Philly for Change and Riverfront Communities United.

As all the groups stand firmly opposed to gaming, none of the nine panelists was too excited about what's to come. Objectors took turns voicing complaints such as how casinos will only help the operators, increase crime and traffic in their neighborhoods and drain social-services funding once drinking and gambling addiction increase.

City Councilman Frank DiCicco , whose district covers the most likely location for at least one casino, said that gaming is here and the issue is how best to deal with it now.

Still, volunteers for Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront (NABR), who handed out pamphlets opposing the developments, believe that planning and development should not be forced upon residents. They say public involvement is still crucial.

What should be noted is that this forum, billed as a Casino Town Hall Meeting, did not include any casino proponents; it was a group of like-minded people who spent the time listing the evils of gaming. Jeremy Beaudry , a member of NABR, said the opposition was not invited.

"We already know where they stand," said Beaudry, noting that lobbying efforts are under way to repeal Act 71, the original gaming bill.

Larry Ceisler , whose consulting firm Ceisler Jubelirer represents the proposed Trump Street casino, called the forum one-sided. "First, it was a protest rally and, second, it was a City Council candidate forum," he said. "Look who was on that panel: four that want to run." (DiCicco, who is up for re-election next year, was a panelist. Irv Acklesberg , Curtis Jones and Marc Stier have Council aspirations.)

Ceisler pointed out that while public discussions are important, most concerns aired at the meeting were about the waterfront, whereas Donald Trump 's operation has a plan for East Falls, Tioga and Nicetown.

"Not everyone is opposed to casinos" in Trump's territory, said Ceisler, who maintained that a poll of residents in that area showed locals were split.

Currently, the city's zoning board has control over the casinos here. While the courts upheld gaming in general last year, it did give site control back to the counties. House members who opposed that decision, citing corruption in city government, passed new legislation that is awaiting Senate approval. If passed, as many expect, it would revoke the power from local interests.

DiCicco and Councilman Jim Kenney , who both want local zoning to have control, will ask Gov. Ed Rendell to veto the bill if it passes. If that fails, then City Council is prepared to sue the state.

"What options do we have?" asked Kenney.

During a fundraiser last week at Bluezette in Old City, Street announced his plans and invited his friend Chris Heinz to help out. Heinz, son of the late U.S. Sen. John Heinz and Teresa Heinz Kerry , raised his profile when he campaigned for his stepfather, U.S. Sen. John Kerry , in 2004.

"I know a lot of people who have gone into politics for the right reasons," Heinz said. "There are a few people who are doing things right."

Heinz, who has known Street for a number of years, said that Street would bring new, younger blood to City Council.

Street is a lawyer at Wolf Block and for many years has been organizing young people to become engaged in the political process. In his remarks, he said one of his bigger concerns is to improve the public schools — his older son attends public school — and help organize decent home-schooling programs. Job creation is another topic he wants to focus on and Street suggested more capital investments in hospitals, a large local industry.

During his father's tumultuous tenure, the younger Street has strived for independence and recognition on his own. He said he did not try to seek the ward-leader nomination for the special election to fill the City Council at-large vacancy, choosing instead to rely on voters next year.

(rcpatel@aol.com)