For more than 20 years, Discount City has helped Alameda families celebrate birthdays, graduations, school events, cultural ceremonies, and countless milestones. We’re proud to be part of what makes this community special. That’s why I’m deeply concerned that the City is considering a full ban on the sale and distribution of foil balloons—a policy that goes far beyond what’s necessary to address safety issues and would cause real harm to local businesses like mine.

Let me be clear: I support the City’s goal of preventing power-line outages and protecting public infrastructure. We all want to keep Alameda safe. But eliminating an entire category of products that thousands of families use responsibly isn’t the right approach.

Coalition of local businesses asking for balance

Discount City is not alone in raising this concern. Many Alameda retailers, florists, decorators, and community-serving organizations are urging the Council to adopt a more practical, targeted approach. These local businesses employ residents, sponsor youth programs, support schools, and help make Alameda’s celebrations what they are. We all share the same message: Fix the problem—but don’t punish responsible businesses and families in the process.

Most balloons are used safely

The vast majority of foil balloons sold at Discount City are used indoors, weighted, bagged, and paired with safety instructions. We do not allow balloon releases. We follow strict industry best practices, and our customers overwhelmingly use their balloons responsibly. A full ban would impact the responsible majority while doing little to prevent the rare improper releases that cause issues.

The State has already put the real solution in motion

Under AB 847 (2022), California is phasing in new non-conductive balloon materials that directly address the safety concerns raised by Alameda Municipal Power. The state is already fixing the underlying problem. A local sales ban would be redundant, confusing, and unnecessarily damaging to small businesses, while offering little additional safety benefit.

What a sales ban would really do

A ban on foil balloon sales in Alameda would:

• Push people to shop in nearby cities, sending dollars and tax revenue elsewhere.
• Harm small businesses that rely on celebration products.
• Drive more purchases online, where no safety guidance is provided.
• Limit celebration options for families, schools, and cultural communities.

People won’t stop celebrating—they’ll just stop buying these products in Alameda.

A better, more effective path forward

Alameda can improve safety without damaging its local economy. We strongly support banning intentional balloon releases, public education on responsible use, city-retailer partnerships for consistent safety messaging, and continued use of weights, packaging, and warning labels. These targeted measures directly address safety risks while preserving the celebrations that bring this community together.

For the sake of local jobs, community events, and the small businesses that make Alameda unique, I respectfully urge the City Council to pursue a balanced approach—not an outright ban that harms the community more than it helps.

Bruce Emam has lived and worked in Alameda for more than 25 years. He has managed Discount City in Alameda for more than two decades, serving generations of families, schools, and community organizations. He oversees the store’s safety practices, local partnerships, and community engagement efforts.