aflynn@lakeplacidnews.com
LAKE PLACID It’s been almost two years since officials at the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism proposed using an extra 2% of Essex County’s occupancy tax for community development. And now for the town of North Elba, at least they are ready to explain how the program will be implemented in 2021. When ROOST CEO Jim McKenna and Chief of Staff Mary Jane Lawrence sat down with the Lake Placid News on Feb. 22, 2019, they said increasing the occupancy tax known informally as a “bed tax” from 3% to 5% was needed in order to improve communities throughout the county.