State Senator John McKinney Appoints Mitchell Fuchs to the Metro North New Haven Rail Commuter Council

Hartford, CT – State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney (R-Fairfield) has appointed Mitchell Fuchs of Fairfield, CT to the Metro North New Haven Rail Commuter Council. The council, consisting of 15 members who regularly use the New Haven or Shoreline East railroad lines, acts as a consumer liaison between commuters and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT), Metro-North, and Shore Line East. The council holds monthly public meetings and advises the legislature on commuter issues.

Mr. Fuchs, a former Fairfield Democratic Town Chairman and Senator McKinney’s opponent in last month’s election, is president of Wellesley Corporation, a property management company with offices in New York City. He commutes to New York regularly using the Metro-North commuter rail line and has been a committed advocate for reducing traffic congestion in lower Fairfield County. He is a member of the Greater Bridgeport Transit Board and once gathered 1,400 signatures in four days to petition Governor Rell for the new Metro-North rail cars which are currently being built.

“As a Fairfield County commuter and public activist, Mitch will be a valuable addition to the council because he understands the importance of increasing Connecticut’s use of mass transportation to reduce the number of cars and trucks on our highways. He shares my view that good transportation policy is also good environmental policy, and one of the best ways to make Connecticut a more attractive place for commerce and new business,” said Senator McKinney. “As Republicans and Democrats Mitch and I have some natural political differences, but there are still a number of important issues where we share a common philosophy and common goal. Transportation is one of them.”

Mr. Fuchs said he welcomed the appointment for two reasons. “First, I am looking forward to playing an active role in addressing the state’s transportation challenges and second, this appointment illustrates John McKinney’s commitment to work with my party.” He said, “The mission of this council is an important one, as transportation gridlock has been a persistent problem in southwestern Connecticut for decades. I look forward to sharing my ideas and observations with members of the council, rail executives, the DOT, and the legislature.”

The Metro North New Haven Rail Commuter Council’s next public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 15th at 7:00 p.m. at the South Western Regional Planning Agency’s (SWRPA) Stamford office located at 888 Washington Boulevard.

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