Voters on Nov. 8 will be asked to approve $83 million in bonds broken down under five ballot questions asking residents to borrow money to invest in roads, sewers, cultural institutions, university buildings, biotechnology and open space.

The bonds, estimated to cost a total of $106.7 million including interest, are sandwiched between a people’s veto of a new law protecting gays from discrimination and a constitutional amendment to help preserve working waterfront.

“Who knows,” if that’s good or bad in terms of outcome, said Ed Legg of the University of New England, a spokesperson for the Maine Biomedical Research Fund. Legg is helping organize the campaign for bond Question 4.

The slogan for that $20 million economic growth and job creation package is: “Jobs for today, jobs that will stay,” Legg said. The bond money will go to “all Maine-based institutions, who are committed to staying in Maine,” he said.

Also on the ballot are bonds for transportation, agriculture and environmental projects, Land for Maine’s Future, and higher education. All bond money, under law, has to go toward capital projects and cannot be used for operational purposes.

The $83 million package was a compromise between Democratic and Republican leadership and got the needed two-thirds support of the Legislature in July.

“I’m optimistic all of them will pass,” said House Speaker John Richardson of Brunswick, who called the package “modest.” “It really needed to be a bit higher,” to meet the state’s needs, he said, but “it’s a down payment into the prosperity of Maine’s future.”

The bond questions include:

Question 2 asks for $33.1 million for transportation projects attracting $158 million in federal matching funds. The bond would provide:

• $27 million in highway and bridge improvements, including $12 million for the state’s share of the Waldo-Hancock Bridge replacement.

• $3.5 million in port and ferry improvements, including $1.75 million for replacement of the Governor Curtis ferry that provides daily service to Vinalhaven.

• $1.7 million in airport improvements for the state’s 28 airports; $500,000 for bus and related facilities; and $400,000 for bike and pedestrian trails.

Question 3 asks for $8.9 million for agricultural and environmental projects that would attract $31 million in federal funds. The bond would provide:

• $2.6 million for wastewater infrastructure in Auburn, Augusta, Baileyville, Belfast, Brewer, Camden, Dover-Foxcroft, Falmouth, Kennebunk, Portland, Saco, Wells and Yarmouth.

• $3.5 million to upgrade drinking water systems, including projects in Washburn, Newport, Eagle Lake, Mars Hill, Charleston, Lisbon, Waterboro, Port Clyde, Passamaquoddy Water District; Camden-Rockland, Winter Harbor, Biddeford/Saco, Castine, Dixfield, Winterport and Franklin.

• $1 million to assist farmers in developing new water sources; $1 million to solve water pollution problems caused by improper sewage disposal in rural areas; and, $800,000 to upgrade the University of Maine’s livestock facility.

Question 4 asks for $20 million to stimulate economic growth and job creation and attract federal and private funds of approximately $44 million. The bond would provide:

• $8 million for the Maine Biomedical Research Fund to support the Foundation for Blood Research in Scarborough; Maine Medical Center Research in Scarborough; Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory; The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor and its affiliate Eastern Maine Health Care in Bangor; and the University of New England School of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford.

• $4 million for Marine Infrastructure and Technology Fund grants. Institutions able to compete for grants include Bigelow in Boothbay; Bates, Bowdoin and Colby colleges; Cobscook in Eastport; DEI in Beals; GMOOS in Portland; MAIC in Orono; DMR in Boothbay; Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland; Marical in Portland; MDI Biological Laboratories; MMA in Castine; Peacock in Lubec; Pemaquid in Waldoboro; Penobscot in Stonington; Sea Run in Freeport; and the University of Maine System.

• $1 million for the Small Enterprise Growth Fund to make investments in small Maine companies.

• $1 million in capital improvements at libraries, museums, historic buildings, theaters and arts facilities through grants administered by the New Century Community Program.

• $1 million for a business and career center in Jonesboro; and, $2 million for a career center at the University of Maine campus in Lewiston/Auburn.

• $2 million for the Laboratory of Surface Science Technology – focusing on precision manufacturing, biotechnology and environmental technology – at the University of Maine in Orono.

• $1 million for a biomedical science center at the Bangor campus of the University of Maine in Orono.

Question 5 asks for $12 million to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers attracting $7 million in private and public contributions. The bond would provide:

• $10 million for the Land for Maine’s Future program.

• $2 million to establish the Maine Working Waterfront Access Pilot Program to help local governments and other qualified organizations purchase working waterfront or easements on waterfront land.

Question 6 asks for $9 million for capital improvements at state universities. The bond would provide:

• $5 million for building improvements at the Community College System’s seven campuses.

• $2 million for a lifelong learning center at the University of Southern Maine.

• $2 million for building improvements at five University System campuses.