Governing Board

Bart Graham

Commissioner - Department of Revenue

Bart_graham

Bart L. Graham was appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue to serve as Georgia’s State Revenue Commissioner on June 12, 2003. Current principal priorities are focused toward enhancing customer service and accelerating processing by sourcing and installing:

  • Installing new call center hardware/software in Taxpayer Services and Motor Vehicle Services.
  • Implementing Check21 software for the conversion of checks to ACH debits.
  • Outsourcing processing of quarterly estimated tax payments and payments made with tax return extensions.
  • Integration of the sales tax system with the corporate income and withholding tax systems.
  • Utilizing enterprise case management applications with a new data warehouse for timelier discovery and resolution.
  • Transition of embossed vehicle license plate applications to digital flat plate design and production technology.
  • Completing full regulation updates and eliminations in the alcohol and tobacco industries.
  • Modernizing corporate tax regulations to conform to modern business practices, industries and to change those that penalize companies for pursuing ingenuity.

Since his appointment, Commissioner Graham has been instrumental in leading the department in the following initiatives:

  • Restructured the department based on functionality to eliminate duplication of multiple services and provide resources for new initiatives. All efforts and changes must meet criteria of improved customer service and staff accountability.
  • The department is fifty-one months into a four-phased tax enforcement initiative to bring fairness and equity to tax administration. Since initiated, this initiative has collected $379.7 million which is separate and identifiable from routine compliance actions.
  • Created and staffed centralized Tax Law and Policy and Litigation and Special Investigation groups.
  • Since 2006, Litigation and Special Investigations through new fraud detection programs has blocked 91,798 fraudulent refund returns claiming $63.8 million.
  • Tax Law & Policy has issued or updated 135 regulations in fiscal year 2007 compared to 62 regulations during fiscal year 2006.
  • In summer 2007, voted on to the Board of Trustees of the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA).
  • In summer 2007, authorized Georgia’s joining the Multi-State Tax Commission (MTC) as a sovereignty member accepting Executive Board representation.
  • Accelerated implementation of electronic filing of multiple tax types and funds transfers. Since 2004, DOR has made available the following electronic e-file/e-pay services: filing and payment of sales and use tax returns, withholding tax returns, alcohol license renewals, IFTA license renewals and amusement decal renewals. In addition, individual and corporate tax returns, estimated tax and extension payments as well as assessment payments for all tax types can now be paid electronically.
  • In October 2005, testified before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management regarding tax evasion, compliance enforcement and collections in Washington, D.C.
  • In May 2006, traveled to Israel as part of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) 2006 delegation. GILEE’s mission is to enhance law enforcement executive development and international cooperation for the provision of better law enforcement services and public safety through the protection of civil rights. Coordinated drafting and passage of Governor’s legislation to allow public sector issuance of derivatives and commercial paper.
  • Served as financial advisor to the Chairman of the G-8 Host Committee, Fred Cooper.

Prior to joining the Department of Revenue, Commissioner Graham obtained operating experience in information technology, commercial banking and defense contract manufacturing as well as 12 years of capital markets and corporate banking experience. Prior to his appointment as State Revenue Commissioner, Graham served on Governor Perdue’s financial team as deputy chief financial officer and prior to that appointment Graham served as chief financial officer for then Governor-elect Perdue’s Transition to the New Georgia, Inc.

Graham is an honors graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance and a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from The University of Tennessee – Knoxville.

Graham and his wife Susan have two children, a daughter and a son.