Cajun Debate: Marohn versus O'Toole

This Thursday in Lafayette, Louisiana, our own Charles Marohn will be debating Randal O'Toole of the CATO Institute. The debate begins at 5:30 PM and we will attempt to provide a live feed here at Strong Towns.

The debate is being called: Plan Lafayette...the rest of the story. Plan Lafayette is the comprehensive plan recently adopted by the city of Lafayette. It is expected that O'Toole will argue against the plan, as he has in the past, while we know that Marohn will make the case for local planning with Strong Towns principles.

Randal O’Toole is a Cato Institute Senior Fellow working on urban growth, public land, and transportation issues. His analysis of urban land-use and transportation issues, brought together in his 2001 book, The Vanishing Automobile and Other Urban Myths, has influenced decisions in cities across the country.

In his book The Best-Laid Plans, O’Toole calls for repealing federal, state, and local planning laws and proposes reforms that can help solve social and environmental problems without heavy-handed government regulation. O’Toole’s latest book is American Nightmare: How Government Undermines The Dream of Homeownership.

O’Toole travels extensively and has spoken about free-market environmental issues in dozens of cities. An Oregon native, O’Toole was educated in forestry at Oregon State University and in economics at the University of Oregon.

The debate is being moderated by Bernadette Lee of KPEL FM Radio. It is a free event that is open to the public. More details are available here.