In the Twin Cities, voters are deciding whether or not they want to pay higher taxes to support a $96 million construction project in Unit 5.

School officials say the renovation project is needed to accommodate growing student enrollment.

Right now there are nearly 12,500 students in Unit 5. Superintendent Gary Niehaus says by 2015 that number is expected to jump to more than 16,000.

He said, "It's really important for us to plan for future growth. We're growing somewhere around 3 percent, which means we grow 3 to 500 students a year."

Under the proposed project, eight existing schools would get renovated classrooms. School officials would also build two new elementary schools and a middle school. School board members unanimously approved the construction project, now voters are deciding if they want to pay higher taxes to support it.

Valerie Ambrose said she supports the referendum.

"I think it would be good for the students. They are the leaders of the future."

Another supporter, Jack Danaher, said, "I used to be a bus driver and I got a chance to see what it gets like when conditions become overcrowded."

Deb Erickson added, "I said yes to that because I know the schools are overcrowded and we do need a lot of work done on the older schools especially."

If the referendum is approved residents would see a tax increase of about $170 more a year on a $200,000 home.

Unit 5 officials say right now there does not seem to be much opposition to the project.