Breaking news for Outsider:  The price of land in downtown areas is high....extremely high.  It is seldom that a business can afford to have an "employee parking lot."  You suggest that the "resurgence in downtown Eugene" might be driven in part by free employee parking.  Now that really makes sense: The best way to attract customers is to have your employees fill all the parking spaces near your business. (note the preceding statement is sarcasm). 

 Employees could easily park in the city-owned parking structures and leave those parking spaces near the stores and offices for customers and clients.  Such a move would encourage commerce and promote the welfare of downtown businesses AND, in so doing,  their employees.  

Outsider, I don't mean to be harsh, but some of your statements just don't make sense.  Could you explain how promoting business by making it easier for customers is, somehow, penalizing employees?  Thanks, Gary Crum