HERKIMER - For the second time in about a week, the most powerful man in the State Senate is in Central New York. Senate Majority leader Dean Skelos was in Utica last week. On Thursday, he met with Herkimer County business and elected leaders at Herkimer County Community College.

Skelos' home district is on Long Island, but he says that the things people care about are the same no matter where they live in New York State. Skelos says reviving the economy and creating good jobs are top on most New Yorkers' priority lists.

He says that how you achieve that might be different in a rural county like Herkimer, than in other counties.

"When I was walking in one gentleman said just stay focused on creating jobs that are, or bringing businesses that are 20-50 people that they employ, so I think that's what we have to look at what fits for the area that we're dealing with, Skelos said.

Skelos is on a 'listening tour' of Upstate, trying to learn about the specific challenges that communities face.