New in CW 09.07.06

Developers line up behind school bond If California voters reject the $10.4 billion education bond on the November ballot, the state's builders and developers will be on the hook for the full cost of every new school built in the state, starting at the end of 2007. The specter of having to cough up thousands of additional dollars in fees per home has California's builders and developers dumping millions of dollars into the education bond campaign. Two separate committees, funded largely by builders, developers, architects and engineers, already have contributed more than $1 million to help pass Proposition 1D, the school-bond measure. Hybrids to cruise in carpool lanes until 2011 California lawmakers are hoping to keep the state's hybrid-car drivers whizzing by in the fast lane for another five years after passing legislation last week that would allow owners of hybrids to drive in carpool lanes until 2011, even while driving solo. And, as with every other week, I've got a run down of the week in political donations.