Sen. John Howe of Red Wing introduces Dave Murphy, President of Red Wing Shoe Co., who testifies before the Senate Tax Committee on March 1, 2011.
Watch the video to gain a better appreciation of the intense challenges they face. I say “they” because I think of the Shoe as being the 1,2oo workers here in Red Wing who are, “The Shoe.”
When you hear Mr. Murphy discuss the decision to move some jobs to Missouri instead of Red Wing, you can’t help but put that into the context of how our local government spending impacts the Shoe and other businesses.
A great company and corporate citizen. Now go buy a pair here!
Video: Senate Media Services.
1200 Red Wing employees. We need to retain this company. It is easy to paint with a broad brush the corporations, as the media reports do not pay taxes. (These corporations are not the smaller to mid size corps.) These corps like RW Shoe are the backbone of America and need to be preserved. Why is it so difficult to find a method to retain these American companies, allowing them the breaks needed while on the same hand, not allowing the tax breaks to those corps who show no desire to retain American workers? Exxon, GE, many of the very large companies we provide for while they invest majority interests offshore as we drive out those who have proven to be American Patriots. We need an American Made revival if we are to survive and send those packing who have preferenced desires elsewhere, let those countries provide those subsidies rather than us.
We also need to remember that Red Wing Shoe was not always big. It started here. Who are the companies of the future who are small yet?