By Cindy V. Culp

Tribune-Herald staff writer

McLennan County commissioners adopted the budget and tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year on Tuesday, which will see homeowners paying more in taxes despite a rate decrease.

The tax rate for the 2009 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1, will be 46.47 cents per $100 home valuation. That’s down from the current 46.52 cents per $100 valuation.

But most taxpayers will owe the county more because the average taxable home value is increasing from $80,931 to $87,846. That will bump the average tax bill up from $376.49 last year to $408.22 this coming year.

In all, the county’s home appraisals jumped from $9.354 billion to $10.1 billion — an increase of more than $700 million of taxable home value.

The budget for the upcoming year is $104.9 million. County Judge Jim Lewis has said big-ticket items include a $1.1 million increase for the road and bridge department, $1 million to improve the courthouse, an increase in health insurance costs, the hiring of 12 new jailers and fuel and electricity costs.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners approved the formation of a nonprofit public facility corporation, which is the next legal step needed for the county to proceed with its plan to allow a private company to finance, build and operate an 872-bed jail next to the State Highway 6 county jail.

Commissioners also voted to hire an architectural consulting firm that will keeps tabs on the project for the county. Lewis said the firm will give the county its “own eyes and ears” on quality control for the jail’s construction and related issues such as its energy use and traffic flow.

The county will not have to pay the firm, however. The company building the jail, Community Education Centers of New Jersey, will bear the cost, Lewis said.

cculp@wacotrib.com

757-5744