(a) It is found, determined, and declared that the creation of the authority and the carrying out of its corporate purposes are in all respects for the benefit of the people of this state and that the authority is an institution of purely public charity performing an essential governmental function.

(b)

(1) The property of the authority is declared, and shall in all respects be considered, to be public property. Title to the authority's property shall be held by the authority only for the benefit of the public; and the use of such property pursuant to this article shall be and is declared to be for essential public and governmental purposes, that is, for the promotion of public general welfare in the matter of providing an adequate, dependable, and economical gas supply in an effort to better the general condition of society in this state, which promotion is declared to be a public beneficence for the good of humanity and for the general improvement and happiness of society.

(2) (A) It is recognized, however, that removal from local tax digests of the value of all property owned by the authority might impose an unfair burden on many taxpayers whose property is taxable. In the interest of weighing these benefits and concerns and arriving at an equitable policy regarding treatment of authority property, the General Assembly finds and declares that equity requires that the authority should rightfully make payments in lieu of taxes so that the authority may fulfill its good and public purposes without incidental harm to the state's local governments.

(B) The authority shall make payments in lieu of taxes on its tangible property as provided in this Code section. It shall file a return within the same time and in the same form and manner as public utilities. The taxing authorities shall assess the tangible property of the authority which is made subject by this Code section to payments in lieu of taxes in accordance with the law and procedures applicable to public utilities and shall apply to such assessments in each year in which any such payments are due the appropriate millage levies of the state and of the political subdivisions in which such property is located in order to arrive at the amounts of the respective payments in lieu of taxes. The authority shall be notified of the amounts of the payments in lieu of taxes due and shall pay such amounts to the state and its respective political subdivisions within the time in which payments of taxes by public utilities are allowed or required.

(c) Except as specifically provided for in this Code section for payments in lieu of taxes, all property of the authority, all income, obligations, and interest on the bonds and notes of the authority, and all transfers of such property, bonds, or notes shall be and are declared to be exempt from taxation by the state or any of its political subdivisions.