Eugene Clean Energy Fund: Ballot Initiative
Time: Noon to 1:15 pm
Venue: WOW Hall
291 West 8th
Eugene, Oregon
97401
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We will meet at the WOW Hall, 291 W 8th. Learn more: https://wowhall.org/about-us/. Walk, ride a bike or take the bus. You may park on the street or in the parking lot of FOOD for Lane County's Dining Room, across 8th from the WOW Hall. A freewill donation acknowledging the Dining Room's generosity may be made at the meeting.
Sorry - we no longer offer lunch. However, you are welcome to bring your own food.
Topic:
Eugene voters will decide this November whether to establish the Eugene Clean Energy Fund, a proposed program intended to provide long-term funding for local climate action, energy efficiency, renewable energy, green infrastructure, and clean-energy workforce development.
The measure would impose a 2% license fee on the Eugene gross profits of large retailers with more than $1 billion in annual national gross profits and at least $500,000 in annual gross profits from retail sales within Eugene. Groceries, medicines, residential garbage and recycling services, and health care services would be excluded from the calculation. Revenue would be placed in a dedicated fund, with recommendations for expenditures made by a nine-member committee.
Supporters argue the measure would create a substantial, dedicated source of funding to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions while expanding access to clean-energy investments and jobs. Opponents raise concerns about consumer costs, economic impacts, accountability, and whether the proposal would produce measurable emissions reductions.
City Club of Eugene will bring representatives of the supporting and opposing campaigns together to examine these competing arguments and answer questions about what the measure could mean for Eugene residents, businesses, and climate policy. The forum will be moderated by Nathan Wilk, a KLCC reporter.
Speakers
Title: ECEF Co-chief Petitioner
Organization: Breach Statewide Energy Transition Organizer
Website: https://www.eugenecleanenergyfund.org/
Biography:
Biography is provided by the speaker and edited for length/proofreading
Aya Cockram, she/her, was born and raised in Eugene and is now raising her family here. She was a teacher of six years before transitioning to the non-profit sector in 2019. Aya served as the coalition coordinator for the Fossil Free Eugene coalition, is a board member for WellMama, and currently works as the Oregon Energy Transition Organizer with the Breach Collective, a local climate and labor justice organization. Aya holds a graduate degree in Religious Studies focused on Environmental Ethics, history, and Philosophy and is a proud member of the Communication Workers of America 7901.
Title: Small business owner
Organization:
Website:
Biography:
Biography is provided by the speaker and edited for length/proofreading
Timothy Herrera, PhD, is a small business owner that is dedicated to community advocacy, equity, and environmental justice. As Founder and Managing Director of the Center of Community Engagement, Neighborhood Advocacy & Research (CCENAR), Timothy provides professional consulting services to non-profits, municipal departments, and higher education institutions.
As a cultural anthropologist, former University of Oregon faculty member, and bilingual Spanish,Timothy brings over a decade of local experience in community-based research. He has demonstrated commitment to community engagement through roles with the Oregon Folklife Network, Plaza de Nuestra Comunidad, the City of Eugene, Oregon Food Bank, and the Center for Latino/Latina and Latin American Studies (CLLAS). His commitment towards sustainability includes working with a non-profit to achieve BRING’s Rethink Business Certification.
Title: Representative
Organization: Stop the Hidden Tax on Eugene
Website: https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/environment/2026/09/02/chamber-opposes-eugene-clean-energy-fund/
Biography:
Biography is provided by the speaker and edited for length/proofreading
Laura Sedwick is a Eugene-area native, mom of three, and longtime community member who has built both her career and her family here.
Professionally, Laura has spent more than two decades helping organizations manage complex projects, navigate change, and bring people together around shared goals. Her experience spans the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, including work with local government, political campaigns, community advocacy, and a local nonprofit organization. Today, she works in technology project management, helping large organizations successfully implement new systems and improve how their teams work together.
