A public hearing on Pennsylvania's Act 47 program for financially distressed communities is slated for 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Greenville High School lecture hall.

Greenville Borough Council applied for help under the state program two months ago, after it learned the borough's budget deficit had surpassed $1 million and $667,000 of a $3.67 bond issue reserved for a recreation and revitalization project was used instead for general purposes. Another $200,000-plus of the bond issue has been used for general spending since.

The state Governor's Center for Local Government Services, which runs the Act 47 program, will determine whether the borough is eligible for help under the act.

Benefits can include access to interest-free loans, free management and technical help and grant money not available to other communities, as well as more taxing power.

Representatives from the Governor's Center, who said in February that Greenville's financial situation was among the worst they had dealt with in the history of the 15-year-old Act 47 program, will outline the program and then open the floor for comments.