State officials to figure out rebates today

Thursday, June 16, 2005 | 11:12 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- State officials hope to figure out today exactly how to distribute a $300 million rebate to eligible Nevadans.

Tom Jacobs, spokesman for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, said Wednesday that Treasurer Brian Krolicki, Controller Kathy Augustine and staff members of the department will meet today to discuss how to process some 2 million checks.

Jacobs said it should be clearer after the meeting how fast the checks will be processed -- and who will handle the chore.

The controller's office writes all the checks for the state but there have been suggestions that a private company should be hired to handle the work.

Augustine said today her office currently doesn't have the laser printers it would need to handle the speedy processing of the rebate checks.

She said the governor "would like a five-day window" in getting the checks out. But she said it may be September before the rebates are mailed out. There are people already coming into her office in Carson City now seeking their money, she said.

It is expected to cost $2 million to process the checks.

Gov. Kenny Guinn on Wednesday signed Assembly Bill 572, the bill that authorizes rebates ranging from $75 to $275 for vehicle owners. In addition, those 65 and over who don't have a vehicle but have an identification card from the motor vehicle department will be eligible for the $75 rebate.

Guinn did not have any comment when he approved the bill -- one of the main items he put before the Legislature.

Guinn originally proposed rebates ranging from $1 to $300. Democrats suggested a $150 rebate for each adult person with a driver's license. But Guinn amended his program and prevailed.

Excluded from the rebate will be utility trailers, vehicles weighing more than 26,000 pounds and rental car fleets. But taxicab companies and other businesses that have big fleets will qualify for the rebate.

The governor also signed four other bills Wednesday including the general appropriations act to keep the state government running for the next two years.

Assembly Bill 576 provides $1.8 billion starting in July for state agencies and another $1.9 billion in fiscal 2007. Not included in this bill is the money that goes to support the public schools, the funds for class size reductions in the lower grades and the pay bill for state workers that calls for increases of 2 percent this July and 4 percent in July 2006.

Also outside this bill are the federal funds and other money used by state agencies.

The governor signed Assembly Bill 575 that calls for spending $125.5 million this coming year to keep class sizes smaller in the primary grades and $137.9 million the following year.

Also approved was Assembly Bill 504 that exempts hotel-casinos from regulation of the Transportation Services Authority in their operation of limousine service for their guests.

It exempts those hotels with a non-restricted gaming license that are not in the business of transportation from getting licensed by the state agency. It requires these resorts to make periodic inspection of the vehicles. The bill became effective immediately.