66,000 more seniors to get rebate

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005 | 11:18 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- An estimated 66,000 more senior citizens will now qualify for the $75 tax rebate mandated by the Legislature this year to give back to the people $300 million of a tax surplus.

The Legislative Counsel Bureau, at the request of Democratic Assembly members, has issued a legal opinion that seniors with a driver's license but no registered vehicle will be eligible for the rebate.

The Department of Motor Vehicles, in its original computer run of those eligible, included only the seniors who have identification cards from the agency. The department originally said there would be rebate checks for 1.8 million vehicles and an estimated 60,000 seniors who have identification cards from the agency.

Assemblyman John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, said Wednesday the Democrats started hearing complaints in August from those over 65 years who had driver's licenses but no registered vehicle and no identification card.

Oceguera, assistant majority leader, said the Legislature in passing the $300 million rebate as suggested by Gov. Kenny Guinn, intended all those senior citizens should be included.

The governor said the first group of Nevadans to receive rebate checks will get them in early October. The new group will receive checks later this year.

"I'm pleased the state can return these surplus tax dollars to an even larger group of citizens," Guinn said.

Under the plan, motorists will receive a rebate anywhere from $75 to $275 based on their auto registration fee charged in 2004. Those 65-years and older, who don't have a registered vehicle, will receive a $75 rebate check if they have a valid identification card or have a driver's license.

David McTeer, manager of the rebate program, said earlier the checks will be mailed so that the will arrive on a Saturday when most people are at home. He said this would help avoid the theft of the mailed checks. Adding the 66,000 senior citizens will cost an additional $4.95 million, but Michael Hillerby, chief of staff for Guinn, said there "is enough of a cushion."

He said there were changes to the bill on the final day of the Legislature that eliminated rental cars from the rebate. And those who had suspended licenses or owed the DMV money were excluded from the rebate.

He said it was unknown at the time how many rental cars would be excluded and how many people with bad debts or suspended licenses would not qualify. In addition, the proposed maximum $300 rebate was trimmed to $275.

McTeer said that adding the estimated 66,000 to 68,000 seniors will bring the total rebate to about $282 million. He said $5 million of the left over money will go to a disaster relief fund in the state Division of Emergency Planning.

The remainder of the money will go back to the state treasury.

McTeer said the new group of seniors would get their refunds within the next three months. He said the motor vehicle department must check to see that a person who has a valid identification card and also a driver's license don't get two checks.

He said those senior citizens who are listed as secondary on vehicle registrations will also qualify for the $75.