By Samuel G. Michael

Many of my members have voiced concern about the Aurora City Council’s tobacco retail licensing proposal. As the head of the Ethiopian Community of Colorado, EthioCO.org, I share, understand and support the city’s responsibility to protect young people and address legitimate community concerns. Retailers have long partnered with enforcement agencies to prevent underage sales, train employees and comply with evolving regulations. That commitment has not changed.

What is difficult to understand, however, is how the current draft of the proposed retail licensing ordinance brings together such a wide range of issues under the banner of youth prevention. The ordinance extends far beyond age-restricted sales to include matters such as loitering, nuisance behavior, unrelated criminal activity, food-assistance enforcement, surveillance requirements, and broad conduct-of-business standards. It is not clear how all of these elements directly relate to youth access, nor why they are being addressed through a single, expansive licensing framework.

During discussions with the City’s Business Advisory Board, retailers were told the ordinance is informed by data and studies. Yet when asked about specific, Aurora-based figures that justify the breadth of the proposal, retailers were told such localized data is not readily available. That raises an important question: if we do not have clear information about the nature or scale of the problem in Aurora, how can we know whether this approach is appropriately tailored or whether it will be effective?

Good public policy is not only about acting — it is also about learning. When new regulatory frameworks are adopted, especially ones that significantly expand oversight and enforcement, cities typically benefit from having a clear way to understand whether those policies are delivering results, creating unintended consequences, or simply layering new requirements without solving the underlying issue. Without that feedback loop, regulations tend to accumulate over time, even when their real-world effect is unclear.

Retailers are asked to absorb new requirements, additional costs and increased enforcement risk, all while operating in an already challenging environment. Many of them are small or family-owned businesses that serve as neighborhood anchors and employers. Without clear reference points for success, it becomes difficult for anyone — policymakers, businesses, or the public — to understand what progress looks like or how future decisions will be made.

This concern is especially relevant given many members of the current City Council were elected on platforms emphasizing support for small businesses, fairness, and practical governance. Retailers took those commitments seriously. We are hopeful those principles will continue to guide decision-making as council considers policies that directly affect local employers and community institutions.

As the City Council considers this proposal in the coming weeks, I respectfully ask members take the time to pause, narrow, and refine the proposal. Specifically, we urge council to ensure the ordinance is grounded in Aurora-specific information, focused on clearly defined objectives, and structured in a way that allows the city to understand in due time whether it is working before additional layers are added. Thoughtful consideration now will help avoid unintended consequences, strengthen compliance and ensure any final framework reflects both the city’s priorities and the realities faced by responsible local businesses.

Samuel G. Michael is president of the Ethiopian Community of Colorado which has more than 3,500 members.