City leaders are set to answer questions about the Manitou Springs tax incentive deal to reopen the COG railway. A community meeting is taking place tonight at Briarhurst Manor.
The COG is owned by the Broadmoor and they say they have to rebuild the entire railroad from top to bottom, before it can reopen.
Under a deal struck with the city council, special amusement excise taxes that are collected from the COG and other attractions would be capped at a half million dollars a year.
John Weiss is organizing this community meeting. He thinks the tax break ought to be tied to inflation.
"I mean, just think, the cog now costs $40 to go up. 50 years ago it was $6. The cap of what they’re going to pay goes from $500,000 to $750,000 over that period of time."
The community meeting starts right at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday night.