Second message of Lamartine Griffin Hardman, Governor of Georgia, to the General Assembly, July 17th, 1929

SECOND MESSAGE
LAMARTINE GRIFFIN HARDMAN
Governor of Georgia to the
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
July 17th, 1929
Atlanta, Georgia

SECOND MESSAGE
TO
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
July 17, 1929.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. SPEAKER, MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
First: I desire to call your attention to the plans of simplification and coordination of the departments, boards, commissions, and institutions of the State Government of Georgia, as presented by the Governor's Commission, created for the study of the simplification and coordination of the operations of governmental departments.
You will notice that our present operations of State Government are presented in a chart furnished by your Commission and gotten out by the State Auditor.
You will also notice a chart in the first of this report, as recommended by the Commission. This Commission has done a great deal of work and investigation to bring to you an intelligent report concerning the operation and coordination of State Government, Boards, and Institutions, as provided by other states and now in operation, which has been very effective.
I call especial attention to the fact that with the plan now presented by your Commission, that $800,000.00, or possibly $1,000,000.00 can be saved annually in the operation of governmental state boards and institutions, as recommended by your Commission.

This plan provides for the interest and simplification of all the departments, boards and institutions, also efficiency and economy; and I recommend that the presentation, as provided by this 'Commission, have your very best consideration and, if possible, that you enact into law, or pass the Bill presented to you by this Commission.
Some of the very best lawyers have gone over this matter and have presented it to you in a legal form, which provides for the amendment of the laws now in operation, but which will not require any Constitutional Amendment.
STATE CAPITOL
Your Capitol has been occupied for forty years on the 15th of June past, and the deterioration is plain to be seen by everyone who will inspect it; and very little attention, comparatively speaking, has been given to the upkeep of the building.
The Governor has secured two expert architects to inspect and provide plans and statements for your information, which has cost the State nothing; and they state that the present Capitol building, if constructed new today, would cost from $2,500,000.00 to $2,650,000.00 and with the deterioration going on, it would be of little value in ten years more.
Today they estimate that this building, completing the first story and putting it into first-class condition, would cost from $200,000.00 to $250,000.00, which would then give to the State a building that would easily be worth Two and One-half Million Dollars, and would also provide for the necessary departments under the new plan of coordination, as recommended by the Governor's Commission on State Government.
It must be apparent to you that we are paying the interest of $200,000.00 a year in rents for the departments outside of the Capitol. With the saving in the new plan of cooperation, onefourth of which would give sufficient funds to properly improve and equip the present Capitol, there would be left at least a
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Half Million Dollars to go to other uses of our departments~ to education, buildings, or other purposes; and I reicommend that you provide revenue and secure such legislation as will put our Capitol in good condition.
GIFT OF THE RHODES PROPERTY
The heirs of the A.G. Rhodes estate, Mr. Joseph D. Rhodes and Mrs. Louana Rhodes Bricker, have made a wonderful gift to the State of Georgia, in what is known as the Rhodes residence, at Peachtree and 17th Streets, through the State Historical Commission, and has been accepted subject to your approval. This building, which has been named the Rhodes Memorial Hall, has already beautiful memorial windows portraying the history of the War Between the States; and it is donated for the purpose of the keeping of records of Archives and History of this State, which will relieve some of the congested space in the Capitol at present.
With the use of this building and the improvements suggested to be made on the Capitol, we would have sufficient room, under the new plan of coordination, to take care of our needs for several years.
After the investigation of the building, and the titles to the property, if the same is satisfactory, I recommend the acceptance of this building for the uses as above named.
THE OPPORTUNE TIME
It appeals to the Chief Executive of this State that it is especially fitting at this time that you enact into law a bill, or such modification, as you find wise, that is presented to you by the Governor's Commission on State Government; and at the same time complete and improve the Capitol, that it will be suitable for the departments suggested to you by this Commission.
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It seems also that the magnificent gift that has come to the State from the Rhodes heirs would also give us space that could properly be used for the State Library; that the library and the Department of Archives and History could be removed to the Rhodes building during the improvements at the Capitol.
What a contribution it would be for Georgia to provide the new organization-to complete and renovate our Capitol, and to come into possession of this Magnificent stone Rhodes building for our Department of Archives and History.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
Second: It is necessary and very important in order that the Highway Department may function, and pay for the contracts already let, that you provide revenue that will be immediately available.
It is also necessary that you provide revenue immediately available for the paying of the deficit of the Highway Department of $1,730,000.00
It is further necessary that revenue be provided that we may secure from the Federal Government the Two Million Dollars that will be available when the necessary funds from the State are provided.
In view of the needs above mentioned I recommend that you create a tax on gasoline of Six Cents per gallon for the remainder of 1929, to become effective at once; and all above the amount on gasoline for the year 1929 that has not already been provided for, go to the highways, which will give an increase of Two Cents for immediate use on highways.
I recommend further that in 1930 and 1931 the gasoline tax be made Five Cents, and that one-cent go to the Counties, as heretofore provided; also that as soon as you make provision for the revenue, that all of the remainder of the gasoline tax, the motor
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vehicle tag tax, the bus tax and truck tax, as may be provided by you, shall all go to the building and maintaining of the highways of the State of Georgia.
I suggest further that it would not be wise to have a retroactive law which would provide for a change in the distribution of the revenue from gasoline, from which one-half cent goes to the Common Schools, and one cent on kerosene, which has already been allocated for the year 1929.
Bus AND TRUCK TRANSPORTATION
The Chief Executive of the State recommends that such legislation be enacted as will provide for the necessary protection of human life in handling of transportation of busses and trucks; and that same be handled by the Public Service Commission in a way that you may deem wise and safe.
COMMON SCHOOLS
Third: I recommend to you that all of the monies, from whatsoever source, shall be placed in the State Treasury.
I recommend that you provide revenue and appropriate Five Million Dollars for the Common Schools, Two Million Dollars for the Equalization Fund, and Four Hundred Thousand Dollars for the Barrett-Rogers Fund; and that you provide sufficient revenue to take care of these appropriations which shall be made, to be paid at a definite time. (See Acts 1927, page 157.)
I call your attention to the fact that the present sources of revenue which are provided by law, which go to the Common Schools, are complicated and unsatisfactory.
Your law provides that one-half of all the revenue from all sources of income, or taxation, shall be used for the maintenance of the Common Schools of Georgia.
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Your law also provides for direct appropriation of One Million Dollars for the Equalization Fund, to be paid out of the one-cent on kerosene and one-half cent on gasoline (See Acts 1927, page 106), and all over and above One Million Dollars from this source shall also go to the Common Schools. (Appro. Bill 1927, page 17.) This constitutes a part of the Common School Fund.
Your law also provides under Acts of 1925, page 307, that after paying all expenses of the Game and Fish Board, salaries of Commissioner, wardens and deputies and propagation of Game and Fish, "all such monies not used for this purpose shall be paid over to the State Treasurer for the benefit of the Common Schools of Georgia as now provided by law."
Your Constitutional Amendment of 1926 authorized the Governor to borrow $3,500,000.00 for the purpose of paying school teachers only. The enabling act of 1927 provides as follows: "And the principal amount so borrowed shall be repaid each year out of the common school appropriation of that year; and the amount appropriated for paying interest is to be paid from the General Treasury, which is appropriated for each year."
You provided for $100,000.00 for 1928 and $100,000.00 for 1929 to pay the interest on the borrowed money.
There is no relief to the taxpayer to have to pay borrowed money, and interest. It is far better business to provide revenue to pay appropriations for the educational interests, than it is to provide for the Governor to borrow money which the State must pay back with interest.
May I call your attention to the fact that almost one-third of our session is passed, and the responsibility of taking care of deficits and providing revenue for the next two years has not been provided. However, the Governor of this State confidently believes that this splendid body of legislators is equal to the task.
Respectfully submitted, L. G. HARDMAN, GOVERNOR.
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