Voters in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, will go to the polls in November to decide whether to approve a $2.5 billion bond proposal for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district.

The Charlotte Observer reports that the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners agreed in a 5-3 vote to place the referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot.

If voters approve, the bonds would provide funds for the district to build up to 30 new schools over five to 10 years--12 elementary schools, seven middle schools, 10 high schools and an athletic complex.

The school district's original proposal called for almost $3 billion to be spent on school projects, a figure that State Treasurer Dale Folwell and county staff had expressed concerns about.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg district has about 140,000 students and 181 schools.