Halogen versus halide electronic structure

Halide anions X-are known to show a decreasing proton affinity(PA),as X descends in the periodic table along series F,Cl,Br and I.But it is also well-known that,along this series,the halogen atom X becomes less electronegative(or more electropositive).This corresponds to an increasing energy of the valence np atomic orbital(AO) which,somewhat contradictorily,suggests that the electron donor capability and thus the PA of the halides should increase along the series F,Cl,Br,I.To reconcile these contradictory ...