Outsourcing Hays County inmates to other jurisdictions – a practice that has already cost taxpayers close to $2 million since the first of the year – is getting still more expensive.

On Oct. 2, the Hays County Commissioners Court updated its agreement with Burnet County to house Hays inmates when the county’s own lockup is full.

Under the new agreement, the per diem rate per inmate goes from $40 to...