Fayette County commissioners

will meet twice this week.

Regular business will be conducted

at the County Commission's regular first Wednesday work session at 3:30

p.m., and the group will have a called meeting the next day at 5 p.m.

for the final public hearing and likely adoption of a 22.3 percent increase

in property tax rates.

There has been no public comment

in two previous hearings on the tax increase, which is necessary to pay

back a $56 million bond issue for a new county jail and courthouse complex,

commissioners say.

County officials say they are

hoping that next year's tax rate can be lowered somewhat by the imposition

of impact fees to help pay for the jail portion of the jail/courthouse

project.

Impact fees are charged to

developers to help defray the cost of new services and facilities made

necessary by growth.