Daniella Fergusson believes that a case in Raleigh, North Carolina proves that some agencies use the professionalization of planning to promote "pay to play" policies.
In her post on PlanningPool.com, Fergusson describes the story of David Cox, a Raleigh resident who was accused of "practicing engineering without a license" after petitioning his local government to add two traffic signals in his neighborhood in response to an accident where a teenager was killed by a car.
From PlanningPool.com:
"By accusing people of "practicing engineering without a license" and encouraging citizen groups to hire engineers to express what they already know, it seems that the DOT is promoting a "pay to play" policy. In other words, in order for NORCHOA to have a conversation about traffic lights on the widening road, they have to hire an engineer to do the talking."
"The professionalization of planning takes away from citizens the voice to opine on good urban form," writes Fergusson.
FULL STORY: Citizen Activist accused of "practicing engineering without a license"
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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