Two Tax Measures Face Key Decision Points This Week

This Thursday, two significant tax proposals will move forward in Santa Clara County:

• Countywide Sales Tax Proposal: The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting to consider placing a 5/8-cent sales tax on the November 2025 ballot. While the expenditure plan has not yet been released, the measure is expected to help offset the loss of federal healthcare funding. Meeting details will be available soon here.
• Regional Transportation Sales Tax: The VTA Board of Directors will vote on whether Santa Clara County should opt into a proposed half-cent regional sales tax to support public transit agencies, including BART, Caltrain, and VTA. If approved locally, the measure must still go through the state legislature before potentially appearing on the November 2026 ballot. Meeting materials are available here.

Chamber Policy Manager Kat Angelov is tracking both issues. You can reach out to Kat at KatA@sjchamber.com to get involved or help shape the Chamber's position on each measure. 

Join 800+ business and civic leaders for an evening of networking, live music from Noah and the Arkiteks, friendly cornhole competition, BBQ, booths and more.

Tickets available through August 14.

8/6 End of Summer Mixer & Ribbon Cutting

Join us for a festive afternoon at the newly renovated Sonesta ES Suites San Jose Airport hotel for a networking mixer, open house and ribbon cutting. This networking mixer includes lite bites, refreshments, and great conversations. We'll cap off the celebration with a ribbon cutting to celebrate the renovation.

8/12 SEO Workshop - Keep Your Presence Visible Online

The San Jose Chamber of Commerce Small Business Committee is pleased to present a virtual workshop focused on search engine optimization. The presentation will discuss how the search engine information is organized including local services searches, product searches, and informational searches. We'll also discuss the increasingly visible role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in search engine results.

8/19 New Member Orientation Webinar

Are you a new member of the San Jose Chamber or interested in learning more about the amazing benefits of being a San Jose Chamber of Commerce member? Join us for our New Member Orientation event, where we'll guide you through everything you need to know to maximize your Chamber membership! 

8/27 Women in Leadership Speaker Series: Your Balanced Brand

Feeling a little “meh” about your marketing lately? You’re not alone — and you don’t have to stay stuck in autopilot.

Join Anne Kenney, Bullseye Marketing, Chief Marketing Strategist, for her presentation that’s all about helping small business owners like you create a marketing strategy that actually works and feels good.

Chamber Board Nominations Due August 15

The San Jose Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for members to serve on our 2026 Board of Directors. We are looking for engaged, community-minded business leaders who reflect the diversity, energy, and innovation of San Jose.

Nominations are due by Friday, August 15. Only current SJ Chamber members are eligible to submit nominations. Please refrain from informing nominees until the Committee has completed its review.

Playbook for Super Bowl & FIFA World Cup Watch Parties

The Bay Area Host Committee has released the first version of the Bay Area Public Screening Playbook for Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026™. Materials are available in Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. You can find these versions by filling out the form on the Host Committee's website here. This playbook is a guide for Bay Area small businesses and community organizations to publicly screen these mega-sporting events, while adhering to NFL and FIFA regulations. Public screenings refer to any broadcast of the Super Bowl or FIFA World Cup outside of a private dwelling, from restaurants showing the game on their native screens to cities organizing large-scale fan engagement opportunities.

Following the guidelines within this Playbook are critical for businesses, neighborhood associations, and civic groups showing the games. If you or your business have any questions, please reach out to the Bay Area Host Committee at info@bayareahostcommittee.com.

35th San Jose Jazz Summer Fest Returns 8/8 - 8/10

Celebrate the 35th anniversary of San Jose Jazz Summer Fest, with nine stages of jazz, blues, R&B, Latin, salsa, NOLA and more! Called “one of the world’s great urban jazz festivals” by DownBeat, Summer Fest is more than just music—it’s the quintessential summer experience featuring tasty food, wine and microbrews.

Report: Downtown San Jose Sees Growth in Jobs and Foot Traffic

A new report from San Jose’s Economic Development and Cultural Affairs Office highlights continued recovery in downtown San Jose, with an 8.3% increase in jobs, a 7% rise in foot traffic, and growing office rental rates despite high vacancies. The report notes reinvestment, new student housing, and upcoming major sporting events as signs of a downtown in transition and poised for further growth.

Free Online Business Program from Cornell University

Bank of America’s Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell University invites all Chamber members to enroll in a free online, multi-course program focused on gaining the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to build, manage and scale a successful business. 

Click below for more information and to register for one of three mandatory virtual information sessions, offered in English and Spanish and hosted by Bank of America. The information sessions will take place on August 12 and August 21.

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