Actually, if it doesn't collect more taxes, it won't cost anything. Virginia-based American Management Systems Inc. has designed tax collection software that streamlines work flow and makes it easier to tell when a taxpayer is delinquent.
Automatic billing is a big part of the process.
Under the contract, AMS gets no payment unless Hawaii profits by the installation through greater tax revenue. The part of the system that works to collect unpaid will be installed first. The rest of the project will replace the existing mainframe system with the more usual networks of PCs and servers. Marie Okamura, Hawaii state tax director, says the new system will, among other things, make it easier to implement changes in tax law. Hawaii is the sixth state to hire American Management Systems.