Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

FILAM Joseph "Joe" Pontanilla, a councilmember on the Maui County Council, tackles issues from the declining state and nation’s economy to land use and zoning rights.

Pontanilla, a Democrat, represents the Kahului residency area. He is the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee. As Chairman, he is responsible for reviewing and considering financial and performance audits; budget, capital program, bond authorizations, and intergovernmental loans; and taxes, rates, fees, and assessments for inclusion in the budget, among other duties.

Born and raised in Puunene as a son of a sakada (a plantation laborer who came to Hawaii from the Philippines), the 67-year-old Pontanilla attended Maui Technical School, Maui Community College, and West Oahu College before joining the United States Army. He is a Korean War veteran.

After the war, he spent 34-years working for GTE Hawaiian Tel. He served the last 10 years as a manager for Maui County.

A few years after he retired, he began a political career. He ran for the Kahului residency seat of the Maui County Council in 2002 when Alan Arakawa vacated the seat to run for mayor.

He won by more than 2,000 votes. During his first term, he served as the Chair of the Housing and Human Services Committee.

Pontanilla was reelected again in 2004, 2006 and 2008. Besides being the Chair of the Budget and Finance committee, he serves as the Vice-Chair in the Public Services Committee and Water Resources Committee. He is also a member of the Committee of the Whole, Economic Development, Agriculture, and Recreation Committee, and Land Use Committee.

Most recently, Pontanilla approved the Wailea 670 project district, which would put 700 new luxury units in South Kihei and 700 affordable units in a light industrial zoned area of North Kihei.