Legislators are working on finding out how to replace a popular grant program that helped boroughs and townships pay for hundreds of projects across the state, including Carbon County.

Members of the House Gaming Oversight Committee held a hearing Tuesday with the aim of replacing the Local Share Account program, which used gaming money to provide millions for projects in counties that have casinos.However, Carbon County also benefited from the program because the law is written that the Local Share Account for Mount Airy Casino is open to surrounding counties as well.Earlier this month, the state supreme court determined that the entire tax funding the program was unconstitutional. However they gave legislators 120 days - until mid-January - to come up with a way to replace the program.On Tuesday, the Gaming Oversight Committee heard from officials from around the state, including a township supervisor from Monroe County.Paradise Township Supervisor Peter Gonze told the committee that unless rectified, the ruling, which was the result of a lawsuit brought by the Mount Airy Casino in Paradise Township, "would have dire consequences.""If this ruling goes unaddressed by the General Assembly, it will cost Paradise Township $880,000 - that is 40 percent of our budget - and have a devastating impact on funding for local infrastructure and drive an increase to local taxes," Gonze said.In 2016 alone, applications to the program by Carbon County municipalities totaled more than $1 million.For example, Lansford is applying for $950,000 for the pool, and Nesquehoning has applied for more than $130,000 to complete a road project in the borough.In recent years, Carbon County partnered with over a dozen municipalities to secure nearly $1 million in funds for the narrow-band radio replacement project.Carbon COG secured $100,000 for a piece of construction equipment that will be shared among the municipalities in the COG.Carbon County applied for nearly $80,000 on behalf of Jim Thorpe Sports Hall of Fame for an addition to the Jim Thorpe monument.Kidder Township received $79,199 to renovate the township building, buy a new police cruiser, and provide new airpacks for the fire company.Penn Forest Township has applied for a grant for the Route 903 park. Polk Township is hoping to use funds for the Hell Hollow culvert project and road repairs. Chestnuthill Township has used funds for road work and road buildings. Weatherly received $600,000 for the new municipal building.The Monroe Council of Local Governments purchased four-wheel drive ambulances for the West End and other rescue squads last year.