Download Moulton response to Harley-Davidson Inc. announcement

CHIPPEWA FALLS-Despite calling our state home for 107 years, iconic Wisconsin motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc. warned Thursday it may cut 1,400 jobs and move its manufacturing operations to another state if it can't cut millions of dollars in costs.
 
State Senate candidate Terry Moulton expressed concern for Harley workers and other Wisconsin job-providers faced with similar hardships after Senator Pat Kreitlow passed nearly $5 billion in tax increases last year alone, including a $22.5 million tax increase on Harley Davidson.
 
“This announcement comes as no surprise after watching Senator Pat Kreitlow vote on tax increase after tax increase over the last session,” said Moulton.  “They’ve taken more money from companies like Harley Davidson to pay for increased government spending which, I fear, will force more working families to leave Wisconsin in search of job opportunities in other states.”
 
In an Eau Claire Leader Telegram story published in April, 2009, Kreitlow said his tax increase on Harley Davidson and other businesses was "one of the most business-friendly actions we can take.”
 
“Taxing businesses and driving jobs to other states is exactly the wrong way to grow Wisconsin’s economy, and Pat Kreitlow doesn’t seem to get that,” said Moulton.  “If we are to send the message that Wisconsin is open for business, we need to repeal job-killing taxes such as these.”
 
Wisconsin has lost nearly 150,000 jobs since December, 2008, during which time the unemployment rate rose from 7.1% to 9.8%.  In Kreitlow’s 23rd Senate District, unemployment has reached double digits in some areas: Chippewa County has 10.1% unemployment and Clark County tops the district at 12.1%.