Mason skipping convention because of budget deliberations

At least one Dem lawmaker has dropped plans to attend this weekend's state convention in Green Bay because of the budget.

Rep. Cory Mason of Racine, a member of the Joint Finance Committee, said he had planned to attend the convention, but changed his mind.

With the Assembly scheduled to now take up the budget Thursday and Republicans talking about 100 amendments from their side, some expect the deliberations to stretch into the early hours of Friday, the day the convention starts.

"For me, the priority is the budget," Mason said.

DPW spokesman Alec Loftus said Mason was the first legislator he'd heard of who had dropped plans to come to the convention. He said the calendars for the Legislature and Congress often prevent some lawmakers from making the convention and this would be "no different than past years' conventions."

UPDATE: With the beginning of the budget debate in the Assembly now pushed off to Friday, more Assembly Dems could have a problem making it up to the convention.

-- By JR Ross