Outlook
Letter from the Public for Council Meeting on November 4, 2025 - Item 7.2 From Jones, Michael (CMO) <[email protected]> Date Thu 10/23/2025 1:12 PM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
Cc Hughey, Rosalynn <[email protected]>; Kenney, Kailyn <[email protected]>; Lam, Emily <[email protected]>; Burton, Chris ‹Christopher. [email protected]>; Roberts, Rachel <[email protected]>; Kumar, Shradha < [email protected]>; CMOAgendaServices <[email protected]>; Rios, Angel < [email protected]>; Reid, Tara < [email protected]>; Jones, Michael (CMO) <[email protected]> Ol 2 attachments (4 MB)
County Letter to City of San Jose Community and Econ Dev Comm re Tobacco -Prevention Policies (102025). pdf; Public Letter.pdf; Hi Agenda Desk,
Please add the attached Letter from the County to "Letters from the Public". The email that was sent is also attached.
This is for the November 4, 2025 Council Meeting for Item:
7.2 25-1166 Temporary Moratorium on the Issuance of Tobacco Retail Licenses Thank you,
Mike Jones
Executive Assistant | Office of the City Manager
City of San José
200 East Santa Clara Street, 17th floor
San José, CA 95113
Office: 408-535-8192
www.sanjoseca.gov
CITY OF
SAN JOSE
CAPITAL OF SILICON VALLEY
10/23/25, 12:35 PM Mail - Reid, Tara - Outlook
Outlook
Letter to CEDC from Santa Clara County Executive James R. Williams on Tobacco Prevention From Tong, Monica < [email protected]>
Date Mon 10/20/2025 8:16 PM
To CEDCommittee <[email protected]>
Co Campos, David<[email protected]>; Trinh, Elaine < <[email protected]>; Forrester, Kimberly <Kimberly. [email protected]>
U 1 attachment (4 MB)
County Letter to City of San Jose Community and Econ Dev Comm re Tobacco Prevention Policies (102025).pdf; [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. Learn morel Some people who received this message don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important
Good Evening,
Please find the attached letter from Santa Clara County Executive James R. Williams to the City of San Jose CEDC regarding tobacco prevention policies for your upcoming committee meeting.
Please reach out with any questions.
Sincerely,
Monica
COUNTY Monica Tong (she/her/hers)
• County of Santa Clara | Office of the County Executive * Intergovernmental Relations
SANTA C 70 W. Hedding Street, 11th Floor | San Jose, CA 95110 C: 669-666-4485
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. https://outlook.office365.com/mail/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWg0AjhVUR1ytDUqARW%2B5yr4TwAKh43arQAA
COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER
70 W. HEDDING STREET,
EAST WING, 11™H FLOOR
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA 95110 185
(408) 299-5102
[email protected]
JAMES R. WILLIAMS
COUNTY EXECUTIVE
October 20, 2025
Community & Economic Development Committee
City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St
San Jose, CA 95113
Dear Chair Foley, Vice Chair Kamei, Councilmember Ortiz, Councilmember Mulcahy, and Councilmember Casey,
I write in strong support and encouragement of the City's recent consideration of policies to limit the use of tobacco and address its associated negative health outcomes, including a proposal for a temporary moratorium on new smoke and vape shops. We commend the City for its ongoing commitment to public health and applaud the amendment to the Tobacco Retail License Ordinance in 2021 to further protect the community from tobacco products. As the largest city in Santa Clara County, San José has great potential for impact and great responsibility to take action to protect the diverse community of nearly one million residents that lives within its borders and the City's actions have the potential to greatly support public health outcomes.
In light of the sobering conclusions of the County's 2025 Latino Health Assessment, it is imperative that we act collaboratively to protect and improve the health and well-being of community members disproportionately impacted by tobacco use. East San José has both the highest percentage of Latino residents (45%) in the City and one of the highest concentrations of tobacco retailers per square mile in the county (6.7 retailer outlets per square mile) nearly double the county-wide average of 3.0 retailers per square mile.
As a result, Latino communities, including those living in Alum Rock, Seven Trees, Valley Palms, and other neighborhoods in East San José, face disproportionate exposure to products known to increase the risk of serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.
Letter to City of San José Community & Economic Development Committee Re: County Tobacco Ordinance Model
October 20, 2025
While the City's current tobacco policies provide protections in certain settings, important gaps persist that put residents at risk. The County's model tobacco ordinance, most recently amended in 2022, and already implemented within the cities of Cupertino and Palo Alto and the Town of Los Gatos, would close existing gaps and exemptions. The model tobacco ordinance restricts the sales of all flavored tobacco and vaping products and also prohibits the sale of all tobacco products in pharmacies. In adopting these policies, the City can meaningfully reduce access to tobacco products for youth and adults and improve Latino health outcomes, particularly in the most heavily impacted neighborhoods in East San José.
The model ordinance is the County's first step towards addressing this issue, but we rely on our city partners to continue this important work in their own jurisdictions. Without more comprehensive city action to enact similar restrictions on all tobacco retailers, the great promise of this strategy—and its associated improvements in the health outcomes that disproportionately affect Latino residents—-will remain unrealized. I urge the City to enact these tobacco-prevention policies as soon as possible to protect residents, particularly youth and the Latino community, from further harm.
The County remains committed to being a long-term and productive partner in addressing the disparities highlighted in the Latino Health Assessment and looks forward to continued collaboration on this matter. County staff shall likewise stand ready to assist the City in the adoption of these important public health policies.
Sincerely,
County Executive
c: County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors
Jennifer Maguire, San José City Manager
Emily Lam, Director of Administration, Policy, Intergovernmental Relations, City of San José Greta S. Hansen, Chief Operating Officer
Tony LoPresti, County Counsel
David Campos, Deputy County Executive