Reality has finally made an appearance in the campaigns for governor and the General Assembly as most candidates have acknowledged the state faces  budget problems that could translate into a $2.5 billion shortfall for lawmakers to address in 2009.

That not only means that virtually all the programs or spending initiatives promised on the campaign trail will be delayed , but that there will be a fierce debate next session over proposals to cut state services and raise revenue to balance the budget.

The folks at UNC Chapel-Hill and N.C. State are heading into the budget battle with an even bigger advantage than usual, beyond their strong support from powerful legislative allies like Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight and Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, a former member of the UNC-CH Board of Trustees and current Board member of the school's alumni association.

House Speaker Joe Hackney represents Chapel Hill and that doesn't hurt either.  Dozens of lawmakers graduated from UNC system schools and most members of the UNC Board of Governors are personal friends and financial supporters of legislative leaders and other top state officials.

You can see evidence of that at every football and basketball game simply by noticing who is making their way to the plush boxes above the field or sitting in the padded seats at midcourt during the basketball games. Just to make sure UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State fare well in budget decisions and other policy issues that come before the General Assembly this session, many of those wealthy supporters in the padded seats have been donating thousands of dollars to two political action committees.

Citizens for Higher Education is the PAC funded by UNC-Chapel Hill supporters. Its latest campaign finance report shows that the group has raised $620,000 this election cycle, most of it in $4,000 checks from the folks balancing their hors d'oeuvres and champagne at halftime.

Those donations translated into $485,000 in contributions to legislative campaigns this election season, $217,000 from July to the middle of October. The money went in checks for $1,000 to $4,000 to Democrats and Republicans, challengers and incumbents, rural lawmakers and those from urban areas.

N.C. State' version of the influence buyers is called the University Development Committee. It hasn't been around as long as its UNC-Chapel Hill counterpart, but it is still having no trouble raising money, collecting $126,000 this election cycle and using it to make almost $100,000 in campaign contributions.

Combined, the PACS of the two research campuses gave almost $700,000 in political contributions to the lawmakers that will have to make the tough budget decisions next session. And that doesn't include the hundreds of thousands of dollars that supporters of the PACs personally gave to candidates.

The PACs have proven their effectiveness already, convincing Senate leaders to insert a secret provision in the state budget a few years ago to give university booster clubs a windfall by allowing out of state athletes to pay in-state tuition, a move that cost the taxpayers $8 million a year.

Citizens for Higher Education pays two lobbyists patrol the halls of the General Assembly, one of whom escorted new UNC-CH Chancellor Holden Thorp around the legislative building on his first visit.  That's in addition to lobbyists who work directly for the UNC system and the lobbyist for each individual campus.

No one disputes that UNC is one of the best public university systems in the country and provides North Carolina incalculable benefits, including research, economic development, and a world-class education for North Carolina students.  The people of the state are proud if the university system and understandably so.

The General Assembly should continue to strongly support UNC, but not always provide it a special place at budget time. It ought to be treated like affordable housing, child care, mental health services, public schools, community colleges, and every other vital state program that needs more funding and can't afford to have its budget cut, especially not in a year when more people than ever need help.

The well-connected supporters of the university PACs expect a return on their $700,000 investment, but lawmakers need to remember they don't work for the University Development Committee or Citizens for Higher Education. At least in theory, they work for all us. We'll find out at budget time next year if a theory is all it is.