Thursday, September 24, 2026 / Eugene
Friday's clean-energy debate is free, public and close to the ballot
City Club will put two supporters and one opponent of Eugene Measure 20-388 on the WOW Hall stage at noon.
The Friday City Club program puts a November ballot question in the same room with both its sales pitch and its objections. The free meeting begins at noon at WOW Hall, 291 W. Eighth Avenue, and will also be livestreamed.
Measure 20-388 would require large retailers to obtain a city license and, beginning in 2029, pay 2% of gross profits from Eugene retail sales into a dedicated clean-energy fund. The threshold is more than $1 billion in national annual gross profits and at least $500,000 in Eugene. Most groceries, medicines, health care, residential garbage and recycling would be excluded from the fee calculation.
Supporters Aya Cockram and Timothy Herrera are scheduled alongside opponent Laura Sedwick, with KLCC's Nathan Wilk moderating. The argument is not merely whether Eugene should spend money on clean energy; it is who pays, what qualifies, how a nine-member committee shapes recommendations and whether the fund can prove measurable results. Friday offers 90 minutes to hear the disagreement before ballots arrive.
Field notes
What changed: City Club scheduled a public September 25 forum on Eugene's Clean Energy Fund measure with speakers from both sides.
Why it matters: The measure would create a new city licensing fee and dedicated fund, and Eugene voters decide it November 3.
Who may be affected: Eugene voters, large retailers, climate-program advocates and residents interested in local tax and spending policy.