[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

I highlighted the term "unduly influence" in the paragraph that dismisses there concerns so you don't miss it this time.

I don't see any dismissal their. I'll give my interpratation of what that sentence says, and then perhaps the poster can further elaborate on their intent if they see fit.

Here's the sentence:

Business owners will be affected marginally if at all by the loss of one lane during rush-hour on a street with vastly excessive lane capacity, and their concerns are mainly parochial. They should not be allowed to unduly influence the city's reasonable efforts to meet the demand for better transit.

The way I see it is, that it could be reworded, by removing the red parts which are a double negative of sorts, and therefore cancel each other out, to say:

They should be allowed to duly influence the city's reasonable efforts to meet the demand for better transit

Which to my interpretation he is saying that the greater affect should have the greater influence. In other words, any such move towards bus lanes will have a greater and positive effect on the city, overall, by positively affecting the masses that use those buses during rush hour, and that any negative affects on nearby businesses should be lesser.

If, there is some major and drastic affect on business, then of course their influence should proportionally reflect that change.

I see no dismissal of input whatsoever, but rather an attempt to properly weigh any such influence, which to me is completely different and right.

Again, I do not intend to speak for someone else and if the poster would further elabouarte on the intent of their sentence then we can be sure . I am giving my interpretation of what was written.