(Harrisburg) -- State lawmakers are finding out more reasons why the state of cities across Pennsylvania is so dire. At the state Capitol, discussions are underway about ways to revise the Act 47 program for distressed municipalities. Leaders of cities experiencing various shades of financial distress say while the Act 47 program needs revisions, what’s even more urgent are reforms to help them bring down their expenses and increase revenue. Representative Jerry Knowles, a Berks County Republican, says he can think of one borough in his district with the same complaints of so many financially distressed cities: namely, not enough of a tax base to cover costs. But he says he’s seen boroughs able to pass moderately higher taxes. "Why is it that most of the boroughs and townships do it but yet the cities are the ones who are having the most difficulty?" he asks. York Mayor Kim Bracey says it’s because cities have a high concentration of poverty and tax-exempt properties. "Again if we don’t see something, you will see this in our townships and boroughs. It’s not that far-fetched," she says. Reading Mayor Tom McMahon calls some of the municipal laws antiquated. "Our problems in cities will fester unless we recognize that we’re all in this together and work towards common-sense solutions," he says. "A civil society does not discard people or municipalities. A civil society does not discard people or municipalities."Leaders of other cities suggest levying additional taxes at the county level that can be shared across a region. But, one Republican lawmaker says that would just take money from the suburbs and pump it into the cities. Some 26 cities have entered the Act 47 program and 20, including Reading and Harrisburg, remain enrolled.