Hearings before commissioner related to tax, penalty or interest under this chapter. Appeal to Superior Court from determinations of commissioner

(a) Any motor carrier aggrieved by any act of the commissioner or the commissioner's authorized agent under this chapter may apply to the commissioner, in writing, not later than sixty days after notification of any such act of the commissioner is delivered or mailed to the motor carrier, for a hearing and a correction of the amount of any tax, penalty or interest, setting forth reasons why such hearing should be granted and the amount by which such tax, penalty or interest should be reduced. The commissioner shall promptly consider each such application and may grant or deny the hearing requested. If the hearing is denied, the applicant shall be notified forthwith. If it is granted, the commissioner shall notify the applicant of the time and place fixed for such hearing. After such hearing the commissioner may make such order in the premises as appears to the commissioner just and lawful and shall furnish a copy of such order to the applicant. The commissioner may, by notice in writing, at any time within three years after the date when any return of any taxpayer has been due, order a hearing on the commissioner's own initiative and require the taxpayer or any individual whom the commissioner believes to be in possession of relevant information concerning the taxpayer to appear before the commissioner or the commissioner's authorized agent with any specified books of account, papers or other documents, for examination under oath. (b) Any motor carrier aggrieved because of any order, decision, determination or disallowance of the commissioner made under this chapter may, not later than thirty days after service of notice of such order, decision, determination or disallowance, take an appeal therefrom to the superior court for the judicial district of New Britain, which shall be accompanied by a citation to the Commissioner of Revenue Services to appear before said court. Such citation shall be signed by the same authority, and such appeal shall be returnable at the same time and served and returned in the same manner, as is required in case of a summons in a civil action. The authority issuing the citation shall take from the appellant a bond or recognizance to the state of Connecticut, with surety, to prosecute the appeal to effect and to comply with the orders and decrees of the court in the premises. Such appeals shall be preferred cases, to be heard, unless cause appears to the contrary, at the first session, by the court or by a committee appointed by it. Said court may grant such relief as may be equitable and, if any tax or fee has been paid prior to the granting of such relief, may order the Treasurer to pay the amount of such relief, with interest at the rate of two-thirds of one per cent per month or fraction thereof to the aggrieved motor carrier. If the appeal has been taken without probable cause, the court may tax double or triple costs, as the case demands; and, upon all such appeals which are denied, costs may be taxed against the appellant at the discretion of the court, but no costs shall be taxed against the state.