Randal O'Toole
Encyclopedia
Randal O'Toole is an American
public policy
analyst. Although O'Toole studied economics at the University of Oregon, he did not receive a degree in economics. The majority of O'Toole's work has focused on private land rights, particularly against public land use regulations and light rail.
's so-called subsidized sales of public forest timber to the logging industry. His book Reforming the Forest Service built on his experience during this effort, and proposed a number of free-market solutions to management of U.S. public land and timber. He has written analyses of the usage and development plans of a number of U.S. national forests, working with state environmental agencies and other groups.
, O'Toole emerged as an outspoken critic of New Urbanist
design and smart growth
strategies. O'Toole contends that these development strategies—in which regulatory measures and tax incentives are employed to encourage denser development, more efficient land use, and greater use of public transportation—ignore the desires and preferences of most housing consumers and ultimately waste public funds. His 1996 book The Vanishing Automobile and Other Urban Myths was written as a detailed critique of these styles of planning. He continues to advocate for free market
solutions to urban planning and design in his writing and teaching, and is a staunch defender of urban sprawl
. He has campaigned against smart growth policies and light rail
systems in several U.S. state
s as well as in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Ottawa, Ontario. Since 1995, he has been associated with the Cato Institute
as an adjunct scholar and frequent anti-light rail campaigner. Critics of O'Toole have noted he receives much of his research funding from oil and gas interests.
Many detractors have noted O'Toole's selective use of information, undocumented statistics, and unverifiable sources of information in order to support his claims against rail transit. O'Toole has been criticized for declaring that roadways pay for themselves and are the best use of public funds, even though highways are some of the most expensive public works projects.
O'Toole was the McCluskey Visiting Fellowship for Conservation at Yale University
in 1998, and has served as a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley
(1999) and Utah State University
(2000).
to and from work. He lives in Bandon, Oregon
. In a recent New York Times article, he was noted to live in Camp Sherman, Oregon and his Thoreau Institute address is listed as Camp Sherman .
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
analyst. Although O'Toole studied economics at the University of Oregon, he did not receive a degree in economics. The majority of O'Toole's work has focused on private land rights, particularly against public land use regulations and light rail.
Reforming the Forest Service
Early in his career, O'Toole worked with environmental groups to oppose the United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
's so-called subsidized sales of public forest timber to the logging industry. His book Reforming the Forest Service built on his experience during this effort, and proposed a number of free-market solutions to management of U.S. public land and timber. He has written analyses of the usage and development plans of a number of U.S. national forests, working with state environmental agencies and other groups.
Other work
In the 1990s1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, O'Toole emerged as an outspoken critic of New Urbanist
New urbanism
New Urbanism is an urban design movement, which promotes walkable neighborhoods that contain a range of housing and job types. It arose in the United States in the early 1980s, and has gradually continued to reform many aspects of real estate development, urban planning, and municipal land-use...
design and smart growth
Smart growth
Smart growth is an urban planning and transportation theory that concentrates growth in compact walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and advocates compact, transit-oriented, walkable, bicycle-friendly land use, including neighborhood schools, complete streets, and mixed-use development with a...
strategies. O'Toole contends that these development strategies—in which regulatory measures and tax incentives are employed to encourage denser development, more efficient land use, and greater use of public transportation—ignore the desires and preferences of most housing consumers and ultimately waste public funds. His 1996 book The Vanishing Automobile and Other Urban Myths was written as a detailed critique of these styles of planning. He continues to advocate for free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
solutions to urban planning and design in his writing and teaching, and is a staunch defender of urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
. He has campaigned against smart growth policies and light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
systems in several U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s as well as in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Ottawa, Ontario. Since 1995, he has been associated with the Cato Institute
Cato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
as an adjunct scholar and frequent anti-light rail campaigner. Critics of O'Toole have noted he receives much of his research funding from oil and gas interests.
Many detractors have noted O'Toole's selective use of information, undocumented statistics, and unverifiable sources of information in order to support his claims against rail transit. O'Toole has been criticized for declaring that roadways pay for themselves and are the best use of public funds, even though highways are some of the most expensive public works projects.
O'Toole was the McCluskey Visiting Fellowship for Conservation at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1998, and has served as a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
(1999) and Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
(2000).
Personal life
He is an avid cyclist who has stated that he rides a bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
to and from work. He lives in Bandon, Oregon
Bandon, Oregon
- Economy :Like many communities on the Oregon coast, Bandon had significant fishing and timber industries, which were greatly diminished by the 1980s, though some remnants still exist. Bandon's current economy revolves around wood products, fishing, tourism, and agriculture...
. In a recent New York Times article, he was noted to live in Camp Sherman, Oregon and his Thoreau Institute address is listed as Camp Sherman .
Publications
- Reforming the Forest Service (Island Press, 1988) ISBN 0-933280-49-1
- The Vanishing Automobile and Other Urban Myths (Thoreau Institute, 1996)
- The Citizens' Guide to the Forest Service Budget
- The Citizens' Guide to the Timber Industry
- The Best-Laid Plans
- Gridlock: Why We're Stuck in Traffic and What to Do About It
External links
- Website including "Antiplanner"
- Brief Cato Institute profile for Randal O'Toole
- New York Times:A Son of Portland, Ore., Tries to Puncture the Myth of 'Smart Growth'
- My Tea Party With Randal O'Toole 27 March 2010. O'Toole had no handout, and offered no link to his talk so we could not go home and study his statistics.