The City Council yesterday voted unanimously to censure council member Rod Tam, who used a racial slur to refer to undocumented laborers during a committee hearing last month.

During a discussion of zoning amendments for the proposed University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu campus on May 13, Tam said:

"The concern from (labor unions) is basically that they have to be skilled, licensed workers. We don't want any, uh, wetbacks, basically. OK. We've been receiving (reports about) developers or contractors bringing in wetbacks from New Mexico. Uh, Mexico. I'm sorry, Mexico. OK. Illegal aliens. And that's a problem here, basically. We don't want that type."

During the council's meeting yesterday, several representatives of O'ahu's Hispanic community gave testimony condemning Tam's remarks.

Marie Villa, president of Latin Business Hawai'i, said Tam's comments were "unacceptable" and that his apology was "unacceptable."

Villa read a half-dozen angry e-mails she received from members of Hawai'i's Hispanic community.

"If he's used it once, he's used it other times and that, sir, is derogatory and racial," said Villa, speaking before the council. "This is not about me. This is about the Hispanic community nationwide and here in Hawai'i. The word you used is insulting to our community."

Alexander Garcia, a Honolulu police officer and Tam supporter who has known the councilmember for more than 20 years, said he believes Tam's apology is sincere but said it's a "little late."

"Honolulu is and has been a role model for cultural diversity. That has been deeply bludgeoned by Mr. Tam's hateful remarks," Garcia said. "He should be fully aware that racial slurs against any ethnic group are unacceptable and intolerable."

José Villa, president of Villa Roma Communications, said since Monday night the phones at Latin Business Hawai'i had been ringing nonstop from Hispanic residents "who find councilman Tam's remarks offensive and egregious."

Tam reiterated his public apology yesterday and said he has agreed to meet with Hispanic community leaders. He said he was unaware at the time that his remarks would be deemed insulting and vowed to strive for further cultural sensitivity.

Tam voted in favor of his own censure.

"I am saddened that I used that term. I publicly said that I made a mistake. I have to be more politically correct, I acknowledge that. I want to learn," Tam said. "I got a little excited and used that term to refer to illegal aliens. In terms of not using that terminology again, I will spell it out in terms of using illegal aliens."

Council chair Barbara Marshall said Tam will not lose his position as chairman of the zoning committee. Marshall said she cannot remember anyone on the council having ever been censured.

"I think council member Tam showed himself to be a real class act today by accepting the punishment meted out," said Marshall, speaking after the proceedings.

The censure resolution states that the use of the term "wetbacks" is considered an "offensive racial slur, inappropriate for use by an elected official in city government and has no place in any official government meeting of the council or its committee."

The resolution was introduced by council members Charles K. Djou and Donovan M. Dela Cruz.