May 13, 2010
Loan Fund to Create Jobs
Madison – Gov. Jim Doyle today signed into law Senate Bill 651, which creates a so-called "Green to Gold" revolving loan fund. The $100 million in state and federal funds will be available at low interest to Wisconsin industries wishing to lower their energy costs, make "green" products and create and retain jobs. “My top priority has been and will continue to be helping businesses create jobs and giving our workers the opportunities to get those jobs,” Doyle said at the UW-Milwaukee bill signing. The bill, written by Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, and Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, authorizes the Department of Commerce to make loans to manufacturing businesses to adopt energy efficiency measures, retool to manufacture green products, expand or establish domestic clean energy manufacturing, and create or retain jobs in this sector. Mason said, “This is a huge win for Wisconsin’s struggling manufacturers, for workers, and for the environment. The Green to Gold fund is a smart use of existing resources, and will leverage our state’s manufacturing base and high-skilled workforce to put people back to work, creating clean energy products.” Mason said he'd heard from manufacturers around the state that they wanted to make their facilities more energy efficient, "but funds are scarce, and it’s hard to get financing these days. The Green to Gold fund addresses this need." - From the Racine Post.
April 29th, 2010
The Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association has named State Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, its Legislator of the Year. Mason was selected "for his consistently strong support for Gateway Technical College, for all technical colleges statewide, and for the more than 400,000 students enrolling in the colleges each year." “Cory Mason understands the central role technical colleges play in the state’s economic recovery and prosperity,” said Paul Gabriel, the association’s executive director. “Rep. Mason has worked tirelessly to create new pathways to prosperity through technical colleges for his constituents and for all Wisconsinites.” During the legislative session Mason supported new investment in job training at the colleges and increased student financial aid. "He supported budget provisions and led the effort on other bills assisting the colleges and students at a critical time when Wisconsin experienced a boom in both unemployment rates and in technical college enrollment," the association said. Last June, during Gateway Technical College's budget deliberations, Mason urged the board to increase the college's tax levy, to produce enough new money for hundreds of more students to attend. The board did not take his advice. Gateway President Bryan Albrecht said of Mason: "He believes that colleges like Gateway are a critical resource to developing the technical skills needed to compete in today's workforce.” The award will be presented at the association’s spring meeting on Friday, April 30, in Racine. The district boards association is comprised of the local governing board members of Wisconsin’s 16 technical college districts.
Creates Revolving Loan Fund to Create Jobs, Grow Green Economy
Madison – A bill to create a $100 million revolving loan fund that will enable Wisconsin industries to achieve energy efficiency, use renewable energy, and make products that support a green economy was introduced today by Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine) and Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point). The bill’s sponsors say the initiative, dubbed the Green to Gold Fund, will create jobs and help the state’s economy recover more quickly. Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary Richard Leinenkugel joined the lawmakers at the State Capitol today to announce the initiative, which was originally proposed by Governor Doyle in his 2010 State of the State Address.
“Companies want to upgrade for energy efficiency and create new products and services to meet the growing demand for green energy technologies, but they’re having trouble finding the capital to invest in the upgrades and improvements they need,” said Sen. Lassa, who is chair of the Senate Economic Development Committee. “The Green to Gold Fund will help position Wisconsin for a stronger, more robust economic recovery, create good new jobs, and continue Wisconsin’s emergence as a leader in the green energy economy.”
Representative Cory Mason, a member of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, said, “The Green to Gold Fund allows Wisconsin’s manufacturers to compete in the global economy by helping them reduce their energy costs, and put people back to work in the process. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.” The bill authorizes the Department of Commerce to make loans to manufacturing businesses to adopt energy efficiency measures, retool to manufacture green products, expand or establish domestic clean energy manufacturing, and create or retain jobs in this sector. Commerce will use existing state resources and federal dollars to create the fund.
“The Green to Gold fund will assist companies as they implement energy efficiency or renewable energy measures in their facilities to enhance their competitiveness and create or retain jobs, retool their existing facilities to manufacture products that support the green economy, and expand or establish domestic clean energy manufacturing operations," said Department of Commerce Secretary Richard J. Leinenkugel.
As the holiday shopping season gets under way, state Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine) has introduced legislation to give consumers information about chemicals in children's toys. Dubbed the "Toxic Toys" bill, it is being circulated for legislative co-sponsorship and is expected to be formally introduced in December. "Like all parents, I want to ensure that the toys I buy for my young daughter are safe and won't harm her," Mason stated in a news release issued Wednesday. His daughter Eleanor will turn 1 in December. According to the release, the bill would:
-- Require the state's consumer watchdog agency, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, to identify chemicals that are capable of causing harm to children, based on credible scientific evidence.
-- Require manufacturers and distributors of products containing those chemicals to provide information to the agency about those products.
-- Require the agency to identify safer alternatives and then require manufacturers and distributors to use them to replace problematic chemicals within a "reasonable amount of time," Mason stated.
-- Requires the agency to develop a program to educate consumers and retailers so they can identify children's products that may contain harmful chemicals. "One of the best ways to keep our children safe is to be knowledgeable about the chemicals which may be in their toys," Mason stated.
In celebration of the City of Racine's demisemiseptcentennial, state legislators will retire this morning to the Assembly Parlor to partake of the Danish pastry kringle, following the reading of a resolution honoring the city and its populace at this momentous occasion.
Wait. What? Racine turns 175 this month. To recognize that milestone, Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, is bringing kringle to the Capitol. He will share it with fellow legislators after the ceremonial reading of a resolution about Racine and its 175 years. A few weeks ago, Mason asked constituents about what they thought should be in a resolution honoring the city.
"This is a nice, democratic way to recognize the city," he said. They suggested things like North Beach, the city's abolition tradition and Racine's industrial heritage. They're also the ones who suggested recognizing what Racinians call a water fountain, in item No. 29 of 38: "Whereas, the people of the Racine Community have the good sense to refer to a water fountain as a Bubbler." Not everyone was in the celebratory spirit, he acknowledged. "There were two snarky comments," Mason said. "The rest were really people saying what about this? What about the DeKoven Center? There was really a great range of suggestions."
Today, in honor of the city and those suggestions (and, perhaps, in a bit of celebration of the last session day for the year), Mason plans to bring some kringle with him. He is expected to pick the kringle up on his way in to Madison this morning, but declined to say exactly where it will come from: "Say it's from a variety of bakeries in Racine that make kringle. It will be a good representation of the Danish kringle tradition." Mason intends to bring a mix of pastry, from what he calls the "three kringle food groups: the fruit, the cheeses, the nuts." And, in case you're wondering, Mason's picking up the tab. "This is on my own dime," he said. "There's no line item in the Mason budget for kringle."
The Wisconsin Legislature is apparently just days away from triggering extended federal compensation for workers who have lost, or will lose, their jobs in this recession. The move could result in greater individual payments to the unemployed under a federal, rather than state, supplemental program. But the driving factor will be to ease the cost to Wisconsin, which is rapidly using up its unemployment compensation fund.
The Joint Committee on Finance unanimously voted Tuesday morning to speed a switch from state supplemental unemployment benefits to federal payments. Three Racine area legislators, Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine; Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, and Rep. Robin Vos, R-Caledonia, serve on the 16-member committee.
Mason said in a news release that both legislative houses will act on the matter this week.
State law pays up to 26 weeks, or about six months, of regular unemployment compensation. Payments can range from $54 to $363 weekly, depending on a person’s past earnings. The state also allows up to eight weeks of extended benefits. “Those would kick in during periods of high unemployment such as we’re in now,” said state Department of Workforce Development spokesman Dick Jones.
Unemployed state residents are now claiming $10 million weekly in federal extended benefits, according to the state Unemployment Insurance Division Advisory Council. Because of the way state law is written, those charges would largely shift to the Wisconsin Reserve Fund if the Legislature did not act. By turning off that trigger, the Legislature can save the state’s unemployment compensation trust fund more than $44 million, the advisory council stated Friday in a letter to legislators. That unemployment compensation fund started the day Tuesday at $88.4 million, Jones said. If it runs dry, the fund would have to borrow from, and pay back, the federal government. However, by using federal instead of state extended benefits beyond the first 26 weeks, Wisconsin can avoid a bigger drain on its own fund. That fund, the sole source of which is a tax on employers, would have run out of money next month, Jones said.
Last year, Congress twice approved extensions of jobless benefits, Jones said. The first allowed for extensions of benefits up to 13 weeks beyond what a state would pay. The second federal action created a second possible extension of either seven or 13 weeks, depending on each state’s jobless rate. Wisconsin is in the seven-week tier, which would give a total 20-week federal extension to this state’s unemployed. Congress is expected to extend federal jobless benefits further this year.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
By Andrew Beckett (WRN.com)
Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine)A proposal at the Capitol would restore the civil rights of state and UW employees. U.S. Supreme Court decisions over the last decade have resulted in nearly 60,000 state employees being denied key civil rights protections, according to state Representative Cory Mason (D-Racine). He says those decisions have impacted the rights of workers to sue the state under the Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Age Discrimination Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mason is introducing legislation requiring the state to waive its immunity to those laws. As a major employer, he says the state should not tolerate people being denied the right to protect themselves from discrimination or wrongful termination from a job. The exemption from federal law does not apply to local government employees, only those directly employed by the state. Mason says it's unfair to prevent those workers from suing the state, if they feel federal laws have been violated. A similar proposal failed to pass during the last legislative session.
One child's curiosity
fueled Obama machine
By John Nichols —
2/19/2008 7:07 am
THE CAPITAL TIMES
Available at: captimeseditorial.htm
If Barack Obama
scores a major victory in Wisconsin tonight, he might want to
thank Cory Mason's niece.
After Mason was elected to the state
Assembly in November 2006, the 35-year-old Racine Democrat --
who is, along with Kenosha state Sen. Bob Wirch, one of the
most serious readers in the Legislature -- picked up Obama's
book "The Audacity of Hope."
Mason was reading the Illinois senator's
agenda-setting text during the Thanksgiving break, and his
6-year-old niece asked him about the man on the cover.
"He might run for president," Mason told
her.
"Can he do that?" asked the girl, who
like Obama enjoys a biracial heritage.
"I was already sold on Obama," Mason
explained in a recent conversation about his unique role in
Obama's Wisconsin primary run. "The way he was framing
politics was so new, so powerful. He was talking in a way I've
always wanted to hear a presidential candidate talk -- about
organizing people into a movement for change, not just a
campaign. But then I knew I had to make a real commitment to
get this man elected."
A commitment from Mason means something.
He's one of the most conscientious
members of the Legislature -- and, arguably, the most
determined booster Racine has in a Capitol where the
southeastern Wisconsin city's representatives are not shy
about demanding that the state respond to needs created by
rapid de-industrialization. And he's also a savvy political
organizer. Before he was elected to the Assembly, Mason was
the political director for the American Federation of
Teachers-Wisconsin union. Few people know the politics of the
state -- and especially Racine, where he is a fifth-generation
native -- as well as he does.
Over the course of a full year -- he
endorsed Obama last February -- Mason personally recruited
many of the 17 legislators who endorsed Obama, with an early
assist from another Democratic freshman, Oshkosh's Gordon
Hintz. And long before Obama was being treated all that
seriously nationally, Mason was organizing for him in Racine,
an old-school Democratic community that might once have been
thought of as solid Hillary Clinton turf.
In fact, when Obama appeared in Racine
last week, he drew an overflow crowd of more than 3,500 people
to Memorial Hall, a lakefront auditorium that for decades has
hosted the city's largest political events, including a 1968
campaign visit by former Alabama Gov. George Wallace, whose
reactionary politics of something other than hope once stirred
a good deal of support in southeastern Wisconsin.
Classically, Mason eschewed the
limelight and spent most of his time making sure that Obama
met with members of the diverse community he represents. But
the Illinois senator, himself a former organizer, noticed and
made no secret of his appreciation for Mason.
There is no question that, if Obama wins
the Democratic nomination and goes to the White House, he will
have many Wisconsinites to thank -- from Gov. Jim Doyle to
Congressman Dave Obey and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. But the
senator knows he owes a unique debt to a young legislator who
was with him from the start -- and to a 6-year-old girl who
helped convince Cory Mason that this had to be more than just
another campaign.
John Nichols is associate editor of The
Capital Times.
John Nichols — 2/19/2008 7:07 am
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Endorses Cory Mason for State Assembly
MILWAUKEE—Two promising candidates are vying against each
other in the 62nd Assembly District, now represented by John
Lehman, a Democrat, who has stepped down to run for the state
Senate. The district includes Sturtevant, Elmwood Park and
southern Racine.
Our preference is the Democratic candidate, Cory Mason,
a union organizer. He presents a better action plan - it's
more specific and more reasonable - than does his Republican
foe, Van Wanggaard, a retired police officer who sits on the
Racine County Board.
Mason backs an advisory referendum on the Racine ballot
that calls on the Legislature to enact a plan to lower health
care costs and to thin the ranks of the uninsured. A member of
the Racine Redevelopment Authority, Mason sees reducing the
cost of health care as an economic development issue, since
high costs hamper small businesses.
On school choice, Wanggaard has the better idea. He wisely
supports Milwaukee's voucher program. Mason, an organizer for
the American Federation of Teachers, says he accepts that the
program is here to stay but believes the choice schools must
be held "to the same standards and accountability as public
schools."
Wanggaard wrongly opposes embryonic stem cell research,
which has the potential of leading to breakthrough cures for
many illnesses. Mason supports such research, which the
University of Wisconsin-Madison has pioneered.
All things considered, Mason is the better bet.
Wisconsin Professional Police
Association: State's Largest Law Enforcement Group Endorses
Cory Mason for State Assembly
MADISON—The
Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA) today
announced their endorsement of Cory Mason in his bid to
represent the 62nd State Assembly District.
In making their endorsements for the state legislature, the
group evaluated the input of its local members, the
candidates’ responses to a questionnaire, and where
applicable, the candidates’ legislative voting records. The
62nd Assembly seat is being vacated by Rep. John Lehman, who
is running for the State Senate.
“Cory is committed to protecting public safety, as well as the
labor rights afforded to the dedicated men and women who serve
to provide it,” said WPPA President David Mahoney. “We are
satisfied that, as a member of the Wisconsin Legislature, Cory
Mason will be sensitive to the fact that people need property
tax relief in a way that will not negatively impact core local
services like police and fire.”
The state’s largest law enforcement group, the WPPA represents
nearly 11,000 active and retired members from over 375 local
associations. In the 62nd Assembly District alone, the WPPA
has members from several agencies, including Mount Pleasant,
Racine, Racine County, and Sturtevant. With over 70 years of
service to the law enforcement community, the WPPA is widely
recognized as the premier law enforcement group in Wisconsin.
Racine small
business owners who met with Democratic candidate for Racine's
62nd State Assembly District, Cory Mason,
identified high health care costs as the number one factor
blocking economic growth and job creation. Mason listened to
the concerns of some dozen small and medium sized business
owners about economic development and job creation.
"Small
businesses are critical to growing our community and creating
much-needed jobs," Mason said. "Lowering the cost of
healthcare will make it easier for small and medium businesses
to provide those benefits to middle class families. We need
to allow small businesses to get started and grow in our
community."
Brenda
Thomas, a Racine area event planner, told Mason the main
reason she went into businesses was to synthesize her personal
passions with making money and to add something to the
community she felt was missing. But business owners
complained about the difficulty of owning a small business in
Wisconsin. They said the high cost of healthcare is a strong
deterrent to going into business on your own.
Healthcare
costs in Southeastern Wisconsin exceed the national average by
more than 27%. Joel Venn, a heating and cooling business
owner in Racine, said that the health costs for his employees
have increased 186% in the last 5 years. "Some of us haven't
received an ounce of help from government since getting
started," said Jerry Maiers, owner of iTech Inc.
"My family
has been involved in small business for generations," said
Mason, whose father and grandfather both worked in the small
business sector. "My father helped small businesses get
started at the small business development center. Growing
small businesses isn't a political slogan for me, it's
something my family has been working on in Racine for
decades. As a state Representative, I want to address the
concerns of our business community head on."
"Like Cory
Mason, I come from a legacy of small business owners," said
Jeff Neubauer owner of Krantz Inc. "It is really important to
have someone in government that understands what it's like to
be in business."
CLICK HERE to read Cory's Plan for Small
Business Growth in Racine (note: you will need
Adobe Acrobat to read this file. You can get Adobe
Acrobat for free at
www.adobe.com).
Campaign has more than 600 contributions from Racine County
Racine, WI-- Cory Mason, the Democratic candidate for the
62nd Assembly District, has received more than 600
contributions from within Racine County. In addition,
according to a report filed with the State Elections Board
last week and made public today, Cory Mason has raised over
$81,000.
The finance report also revealed a substantial lead from
Cory Mason over his opponent Van Wanggaard. Cory Mason had a
cash balance of $64,549 compared to Wanggaard’s $32,291 cash
balance.
“I am humbled and inspired by the outpouring of support,”
Mason said. “The enthusiasm is very encouraging. I am very
grateful to have so many good people behind my campaign. As a
fifth generation Racine native, I know what a great place
Racine is, but we also face great challenges. I want to
represent our community to fight hard for family supporting
jobs, affordable health care, and quality education.”
We all take pride
in our home river, and Cory works to protect our heritage.
Click title for full article.
(Racine, July 28th) - A former Democratic legislative aide is
leading a long-time local official in fundraising for the
city's open seat in the state Assembly.
Cory Mason, who
is running in the 62nd District as a Democrat, reported a
cash balance of $56,849.57 on his campaign finance report
due July 20. That gave him about a $23,000 lead over his
Republican opponent, Van Wanggaard. Wanggaard reported
a cash balance of $33,651.17 on his July 20 report.
Mason and Wanggaard
are running for the seat being vacated by state Rep. John
Lehman, D-Racine, who is running for state Senate.
Wanggaard is a retired Racine police officer who was elected
to the Racine County Board in 2002. While campaigning against
Mason, he'll also being running against history.
No Republican has
ever won the 62nd District, which includes a large part of
Racine.
Wanggaard said his
service in the community would make up for his fundraising
deficit. "The dollars I'm getting are all local dollars
from local people," he said, adding about Mason's campaign:
"They're going to have a lot more money than me, and I'm OK
with that ... people realize I'm not in this for a paycheck.
I'm doing this to make a difference."
Mason is making his
first run for political office after working in state politics
since 1995, when he got involved in the local fight against
building Miller Park. Among his jobs is to work at different
times as a legislative aide to Sens. Lynn Adelman and Judy
Robson, D-Beloit. He's currently on leave from his job with
the American Federation of Teachers.
Mason outraised
Wanggaard in the first six months of 2006 by about $28,000.
Despite the advantage, Mason said his focus was on knocking on
doors and talking with voters.
"It's Democracy the
old-fashioned way and at its best," he said, estimating that
he's knocked on 10,000 doors so far.
Mason added about
running in the seemingly Democratic district, "I'm not taking
anything for granted. Voters are looking for a representative
to fight for Racine. They consider the party second."
In response to his fundraising deficit, Wanggaard said most of
Mason's money was coming from outside of Racine, particularly
from Milwaukee and Madison. Wanggaard said he could look
outside of Racine for support, but is instead choosing to
raise funds locally.
Hinting at a theme
of the upcoming campaign, Wanggaard tried to portray Mason as
an out-of-towner returning home for the political opportunity.
"I've lived here
for 51 years, I didn't just come here to get a job," Wanggaard
said. "That's what Cory's done. He hasn't lived here for the
last 12-14 years."
Mason, who had
Lehman as a middle school teacher, said he was following the
departing legislator's advice with his campaign. Namely, he's
introducing himself to as many people, and intends to keep
doing so through the Nov. 7 election.
"You've gotta do it
in a grassroots, Democratic sort of way," Mason said.
Campaign collects 5 times signatures needed to be on November ballot
(Racine, July 12th) Cory Mason and volunteers with the Mason for Assembly campaign collected 1,044 signatures from voters throughout the 62nd Assembly District. The district includes Sturtevant and Elmwood Park and parts of the City of Racine and Mount Pleasant. The campaign submitted the signatures to the Wisconsin State Election Board yesterday, officially qualifying him as a candidate.
"While the laws only requires 200 signatures," Mason said, "I am pleased to announce that with the help of friends, family, and volunteers throughout the district, we collected over 1000 signatures in a little over a month."
Mason is honored to have such strong support from residents in this district, "I
really enjoyed this. This is democracy at its best: meeting
the voters at their door one on one, listening to their
concerns, and asking them for their support to appear on
the ballot. I want to thank everyone who participated in
this part of our democracy."
To get on the ballot for state Assembly, a candidate must turn in at least 200 signatures from voters in the district collected between June 1, 2006 and July 11, 2006. The signatures collected by the Mason campaign are more than five times than the 200 signatures required for Mason to qualify to be on the ballot for the November 7 Election.
RACINE – Cory Mason, a Democrat running to replace state Rep. John Lehman, has received more than double the number of campaign contributions as his Republican opponent, according to state campaign finance reports.
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MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO has endorsed Cory Mason for the 62nd Assembly District.
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