Georgia Official and Statistical Register 1983-84 - the Digital Library ...

The chief administrative officer of the Department is theCommissioner of Public Safety, who holds the rank of Colonelin the Uniform Division. The Commissioner supervises, directs,accounts for, organizes, plans, administers and executes thelegally mandated activities of the Department. With approvalof the Governor, the Commissioner of Public Safety isappointed by and removed by the Board of Public Safety.Authority and responsibilities of the Department of PublicSafety and of the Board of Public Safety are enumerated inOCGA 35.HISTOR Y. The Department of Public Safety has its originsin a 1937 Act (Ga. L. 1937, p. 322), which established theDepartment as part of the Executive Branch of the State ofGeorgia and designated the Governor as Chairman of theDepartment. Other members of the Department were: Chairman of the Revenue Commission, Chairman of the HighwayBoard, the Comptroller General and a member of the GeorgiaPeace Officers Association. The Department was charged withthe responsibility of appointing the Commissioner of PublicSafety. This initial Act provided for the Uniform Divisionknown as the Georgia State Patrol. In spite of numerousamending acts related to the Department, the primary responsibility of the State Patrol remains unchanged. In their 1937Fords with bullet proof glass, the first state troopers patrolledthe rural and public roads and highways of the State to "prevent, detect and investigate criminal offenses appertainingthereto, and to safeguard the lives and property of the public"(Ga. L. 1937, p. 337). The enacting legislation of the Department also provided for the establishment of a Division ofCriminal Identification, Detection, Prevention, Investigation,which became known as the Georgia Bureau of Investigationand was established as a separate state agency in 1974. Anamending Act of 1943 (Ga. L. 1943, p. 197), changed thecomposition of the Department and changed the name of theadministrative officer to Director of Public Safety. The Executive Reorganization Act of 1972 established the Board of Public Safety, mandating it with policy making functions over theDepartment of Public Safety. The responsibilities of theDepartment of Public Safety were retained under the Reorganization Act, however, the name of the chief administrativeofficer was changed to Commissioner.In 1973 (Ga. L. 1973, p. 1301) the Georgia Crime Information Center was established as a division of the Department.The functions of the G.C.I.C. were transferred to the G.B.I.when it was established as a separate state agency. Although theG.B.I, and the Department of Public Safety are separate agencies, both are subject to the policies approved by the Board ofPublic Safety, and they may enter into agreements subject tothe Board©s approval, for providing or combining resources asmay be deemed useful in the performance of the official dutiesof either agency.C. Hugh Hardison, Cedartown.Commissioner. Dept. of PublicSafety, Feb. 1, 1979-date. BornAug. 29, 1929 in Crawford Co.,Ga. Attended N. Ga. College andGa. Tech. Democrat. Baptist.Mason. Shriner. USMC, 1947-50.Uniform Div., Ga. State Patrol,1955-72. Commanding Officer,Dept. of Public Safety, 1972-Jan.31, 1979. He has one daughter.DEPARTMENT OF REVENUEThe Department of Revenue is the tax-collecting agency forthe State and among the principal taxes collected are those onsales, motor fuel, income, alcoholic beverages, cigars andcigarettes, property, motor vehicle licenses and estates. It is theCommissioner©s duty to administer all tax laws and he isempowered to make all rules and regulations necessary to theenforcement of those laws, including inspections and investigations when he deems them to be in the interest of the State. Healso has authority to employ all personnel necessary for thefunctioning of the Department. He also is empowered and it ismade his duty to enforce all laws and regulations pertaining tothe control of alcoholic beverages within the State. In additionto other duties assigned to the Commissioner, it is specificallyprovided that he shall direct that appropriate legal action betaken to enforce the revenue laws of Georgia; shall request theAttorney General to command the services of county attorneyor solicitor general or to supply legal assistance from theDepartment of Law; shall supervise all administration throughout the State, subject, however, to the sovereign rights of thecounties to regulate their own affairs; shall make thoroughstudy of taxation in Georgia and elsewhere with a view toimprovement of administration and legislation affecting thepeople of Georgia; shall make an annual report to the Governorand biennial report to each regular session of the GeneralAssembly; shall publish such regulations, statistics and otherreports as he may deem wise within the limitations of hisappropriation; shall assist local tax officials in every feasiblemanner when so requested by such official; and shall, asresponsible revenue official of the State, advise the Governoron all matters relating to revenue.Tax Settlement and Compromise Board — The purpose ofthe Board is to settle and compromise State tax assessmentswhere there is doubt as to liability or collectibility and thesettlement or compromise is in the best interest of the State.Members are the Attorney General, the State Auditor, and theState Revenue Commissioner.State Board of Equalization — The purpose of the Board isto approve property tax assessments for taxpayers who returnproperty to the State Revenue Commissioner, and to hear allappeals by those taxpayers from said assessments. Membersinclude the State Auditor, the Executive Director of the StateProperties Commission, and the State Revenue Commissioner.The Revenue Commissioner is appointed by the Governorwith the consent of the Senate and serves at the pleasure of theGovernor. The Commissioner may appoint a Deputy RevenueCommissioner to whom he may delegate such duties and powers as he sees fit.The Revenue Commissioner is an ex-officio member of theState Depository Board and is chairman and administrativeofficer of the State Tax Settlement and Compromise Boardand of the State Board of Equalization. He also serves as anex-officio member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.Authority and responsibilities of the Department of Revenueare enumerated in OCGA 48.HISTORY. The Tax Act of 1852 (Ga. L. 185 (/1852, p. 288)provided for the Comptroller General to examine county taxdigests and determine the amount of money owed to the statefor real and personal estate taxes. An Act of 1913 (Ga. L. 1913,p. 123) established the office of State Tax Commissioner to actas assistant to the Comptroller General. The intent of this 1913Act was to bring about equalization, as far as practical, of tax53