CROWN POINT | State property tax rebate checks should be in Lake County taxpayers' hands beginning this week.

Lake County Auditor Peggy Holinga Katona said Tuesday, 133,380 checks totalling $28.1 million went out in the mail Tuesday.

"They should be in mail boxes by the end of the week," Katona said.

The checks are part of a one-time tax relief package the Indiana General Assembly enacted last year to offset property tax increases.

Katona said the amount of the checks and the timing was dictated by state officials, but the mechanics of generating and mailing the rebates was handled by her employees.

State officials said last year the average rebate would be about $236 per property.

Katona said she expects rebates to average between 10 percent and 13 percent of the homesteads' bills, which were paid late last year. The rebates will not go to those who failed to pay taxes last year or those already enjoying property tax caps.