We live twenty miles out of Eugene and when we come to "town" it's with a purpose......visit friends, go to a movie, go out to dinner, recreation, etc. Whether we choose to go downtown, to a mall or to other areas of Eugene is determined by factors other than "paid parking."  If the downtown is to become more attractive to visitors  (from Eugene itself or from the surrounding towns and rural areas) it must have more "pluses" and fewer "minuses".  Already we've seen a re-emergence of very nice restaurants, bars and entertainment venues...those are definite pluses.  Retail? that's a tough one.  On the "minus" side, the presence of panhandlers and dozens of individuals "hanging out" on the streets makes it unpleasant for us "civilians."  In the context of these issues, paid parking/free parking is of little consequence ....at least  for me.  Gary Crum