If you're in it, you're happy.

If you're not in it, you want to be.

The governor's proposal calls for voter-approved debt to be spent on new college buildings, expansions at state prisons and pet projects such as a new visitors center in Raleigh.

Advocates for conservation and public schools are upset they were left out.

The bonds would be the first issued by North Carolina since voters passed a record $3.1 billion in bonds for public universities and community colleges in 2000.

STATE UNIVERSITIES: The governor's proposal includes $487 million for university projects, a third of the overall package. The dozen university projects are spread across the state and include $120 million for a genomic sciences building at UNC-Chapel Hill, $87 million for a dental school at East Carolina University and $45 million for a classroom building at UNC-Greensboro.

"We're very excited about it," said Greg Chadwick, associate vice chancellor for oral health at East Carolina.

PRISONS: The proposal includes $237 million for state prisons, including 400 new beds for acute care mental health patients and major expansions at corrections centers in Alexander and Scotland counties.

WHAT ABOUT SCHOOLS? Leanne Winner, director of governmental relations for the N.C. School Boards Association, said that the governor should have included more money to help struggling local school districts.

"We're having explosive growth in a lot of places around the state," she said. "We've got areas that just can't afford the construction, and their kids are in schools that are 50 or 60 years old."

And Kate Dixon, director of Land for Tomorrow, a statewide partnership of conservation groups, said that the proposal did not include enough new money to preserve open space.

In 2005, the group called for $1 billion to be spent on land conservation over five years. The governor's proposal includes just $100 million, paid for with existing tax revenue.

"There's a much larger need than that," Dixon said.

(Staff writer Lynn Bonner contributed to this report.)

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.