State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli was in Utica on Friday.

DiNapoli was at Utica College to release an economic profile of the six-county Mohawk Valley region.

He says the region faces economic challenges and population losses, but job increases in health care and some manufacturing sectors and efforts to revitalize downtown districts are positive developments.

“The Mohawk Valley has lost some industries and employers over the past couple of decades, but modest increases in food processing, electrical equipment and appliance production provide some good news,” DiNapoli said. “Unemployment and child poverty rates are higher in the region than for the state as a whole, but ongoing efforts aim to revitalize the economic hubs including Utica and Rome.”

“I commend State Comptroller DiNapoli for bringing together community stakeholders to highlight the economic progress that has made throughout the Mohawk Valley,” said Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri. “By working together and building strong partnerships we can continue to improve our local economies.”

The report examines the counties of Oneida, Herkimer, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery and Schoharie.  With 432,612 residents, the largely rural area is home to just over 2 percent of New York state’s population.

You can find a link to the report on the comptroller's website.

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