State of Hawaii Enterprise Financial System

Money Talks is a recurring series that breaks down the basics of public sector accounting, finance, and their real-world impact on the EFS Project and the State of Hawaii. In this session, we’ll discuss revenue.

What is Revenue?

Most people have contributed to or benefited from revenue generated by the State of Hawaii without even realizing it. For example, paying for a vehicle registration renewal or a state park entrance fee generates revenue.

At the State of Hawaii, “revenue” refers to money a department receives to fund public services and operations. This includes taxes, fees, licenses, federal grants, and interest earned from government-run or government-supported investments, such as pension funds, public land leases, and state-owned enterprises (e.g., airports, harbors).

Just as individuals rely on a paycheck to pay for daily expenses, state government revenue is essential for funding services and operations that directly impact constituents, such as road and highway maintenance, social services, and emergency response services.

While it’s important to note that not all departments generate revenue, several departments do so through a variety of sources.

Accurate revenue tracking is critical as it promotes transparency, ensures accountability, and helps government officials plan budgets, support vital programs, and meet the needs of Hawaii’s people.

About Anna Fonseca

With over 30 years of accounting and payroll experience in state and federal government, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to her role as a Control Accounts Bookkeeper with the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), Accounting Division. In her current role, Anna maintains and reconciles financial records, ensuring accuracy and alignment between transactions and official accounts. 

During her decade-long career with the State of Hawaii, Anna held roles as an Account Clerk and Pre-Audit Clerk within DAGS, Administrative Services Office, where she managed financial records, processed payroll forms, verified employee pay per State agreements, and oversaw vendor payments in compliance with procurement policies. In addition to her daily responsibilities, she served as a subject matter expert for the HawaiiPay Project, advising departmental staff on fiscal compliance. 

Before joining state government, Anna was a Payroll/Security Officer at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where her duties consisted of analyzing payroll data, facilitating time and leave system transitions, adapting payroll procedures to new systems, and assisting staff with troubleshooting payroll issues.  

Born and raised on Oahu, Anna graduated from Aiea High School and holds an Associate of Science (AS) in Business from Leeward Community College.