(Editor's note - I am in transit back to Sacramento from Washington DC this morning...and no, McClintock conspiracy theorists, I was not here on a secret Doug Ose mission, just a national client that asked me to come back for a quick meeting.  Below are your top political stories for the Placer region this morning, I may add more news later today.)

Showdown and showtime - Chico News & Review
The local leftie paper review the recent Horne/Logue debate.

W. Placer schools face cuts - Sac Bee
Local schools probably will open next fall with fewer staff members, larger classes and less in the way of custodial services. Western Placer Unified School District, which serves Lincoln, has approved $2.9 million in budget cuts for the 2008-09 school year. The cuts are in response to a recent drop in enrollment and in anticipation of rising costs and flattened state funding.

Several local governments fail to follow public records law, Bee test finds - Sac Bee
A Sac Bee test finds that seven out of 13 city halls and county election offices around the region failed a Bee test of a state law that guarantees public access to financial disclosure forms for elected officials.

Teachers take to town to protest cuts - Lincoln News Messenger
Lincoln teachers took to the streets on the California Teachers Association's "Day of the Teacher" to protest a state budget expected to drastically cut funding for the local school district.

City proposes large sewer rate increase - Colfax Record
Colfax area property owners are being asked to pay from $99 to $178 a month in sewer fees starting in July. The proposed increase will fund improvements to the city sewer system being required by federal and state law, reports City Manager Joan Phillipe.