Rebate checks should arrive Saturday for most

Check your mailboxes Saturday: You should find that long-awaited tax rebate check.

Gov. Kenny Guinn said today nearly 1.9 million rebate checks have been sent to post offices across Nevada.

But Dave McTeer, who managed the rebate program for Guinn, said to protect against checks being stolen, the state asked the post office not to put them into mail-carrier's bags until Saturday. He said the thinking was most Nevadans would be home Saturday and that would provide a more definite time to expect the checks.

Those not delivered Saturday would probably arrive Monday, he said.

Guinn proposed the rebate program as part of his budget to the 2005 Legislature saying Nevada had about $300 million in excess tax revenue and should return it to citizens. He said because Nevada doesn't have an income tax, the best way to return that money to taxpayers was to refund the amount they paid in vehicle registration fees for 2004.

Each registered car or truck, RV and motorcycle as well as trailers over 3,500 lb. each will qualify for a rebate. That means Nevadans with more than one registered vehicle will get a check for each. The minimum rebate per vehicle is $75. The maximum rebate per vehicle is $275.

In addition, seniors who no longer have a registered vehicle will each qualify for the minimum $75.

Guinn said those seniors who hold a DMV ID card instead of a driver's license will get checks this first go-around.

The checks being delivered this weekend will total about $272 million.

Guinn said seniors who no longer have a registered vehicle but still have a driver's license will also get rebate checks but, since it took longer to track all of them down, those checks won't go out until December. Those checks will total another $8 million or more.

Seniors who still have registered vehicles won't, however, qualify for the extra rebate.

Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.