Johnstown, Pittsburgh and Scranton are all on the list of cities that have filed for Act 47; the distressed city status.  According to city officials, Altoona could soon be added to that list.

Altoona has been in financial trouble for years, but city council has always managed to balance the budget.  Council members say they have exhausted all their cost-savings measures, and this is probably their last year in the black.

Officials are considering Act 47. If officials file for it, Altoona will get a recovery plan, which includes special privileges, like a temporary tax hike. Under the plan, city assets, like parks, can be sold. Officials say those are the only changes people will notice.

City officials say population decrease and less funding is responsible for the city’s financial status.

Most cities that have filed for Act 47 have never come out of it.

With that in mind, councilman, Bruce Kelley, says he is not sure if Act 47 is the right solution for Altoona.

"We've avoided this for as long as I think we can,” Kelley said. “We have to come up with some other type of solution. We have to at least discuss this and look at Act 47. Is it really the fix the legislature intended it to be? I don't know that it is. I think there's some other problems we need to step back and look at some long term solutions."

The city has not filed for Act 47, but city council is researching it, and they are inviting the community to help. There is an informational meeting on Wednesday, January 18^th at 6:00 p.m. at Altoona City Council Chambers.