So apparently Chief Skinner wants to make it illegal to give money to people panhandling in traffic. This proposal is stupid, and it shows that Chief Skinner is at best a moron and at worst an asshole who would rather punish homeless people for being homeless than actually fix the problem.
KLCC Story: Eugene considers ban on drivers donating money in traffic – OPB
I spent 25 years in the service, and in that time I’ve seen panhandlers all over the country and the world. In Eugene, I have never once seen someone standing in traffic panhandling. Every time I see them, they’re on the side of the road at a light or intersection. In fact, panhandlers here rarely even walk down the line of cars like they do in big cities. People in Eugene aren’t stopping traffic to hand over a dollar, so the whole “public safety” excuse doesn’t hold water. If Skinner has real data showing this is a legitimate danger, let’s see it—but I doubt he has anything. It sounds like he’s just talking out his ass.
On top of that, as a Christian, my faith requires that I help those in need. Part of that means giving directly to the homeless. If the city makes it illegal for me to roll down my window and hand someone a few dollars, that isn’t just government overreach, it’s an attack on my religious freedom. God expects me to care for the poor, and I will keep doing so no matter how “inconvenient” the city thinks it is.
Yes, we need real solutions to homelessness, but criminalizing poverty and punishing those who show compassion isn’t a solution. You don’t fix a crisis by making it illegal for the unhoused to even exist. Eugene should be investing in housing, services, and long-term solutions—not wasting time on dumb proposals that only make life harder for people with nothing.
Email your representative on the city council to let them know that Eugene needs to do better. Chief Skinner’s idea isn’t leadership—it’s stupidity, plain and simple.
MAYOR / Kaarin Knudson / 541-682-5010 / kknudson@eugene-or.gov
WARD 1 / Eliza Kashinsky / 541-682-8341 / ekashinsky@eugene-or.gov
WARD 2 / Matt Keating / Phone: 541-682-8342 / mkeating@eugene-or.gov
WARD 3 / Alan Zelenka / 541-844-7812 / azelenka@eugene-or.gov
WARD 4 / Jennifer Yeh / 541-682-8344 / jyeh@eugene-or.gov
WARD 5 Mike Clark / 541-682-8345 / mclark@eugene-or.gov
WARD 6 / Greg Evans / 541-682-8346 / gevans@eugene-or.gov
WARD 7 / Lyndsie Leech / 541-682-8347 / lleech@eugene-or.gov
WARD 8 / Randy Groves / 541-682-8348 / rgroves@eugene-or.gov
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