Politics
Jurong East Infrastructure Bond Referendum: Property Owners Near Jurong East MRT Station Face Levy Increase While Rental Flat Residents Remain Exempt
The proposed bond measure would direct S$22 million in new revenue toward expanded childcare slots and park upgrades in selected precincts, leaving households outside those zones without added services.
How we reported this
The ballot measure set for 15 August 2026 asks Jurong East voters to approve a three-year infrastructure bond funded by a 1.8 percent levy on owner-occupied flats valued above S$600,000. The legislation states that proceeds must go to new childcare centres at Blocks 201 to 215 and additional park connectors linking Jurong East Library to the International Business Park.
Who Receives the Allocated Funds
Residents in the targeted precincts stand to gain 320 new full-day childcare places and 1.4 kilometres of sheltered walkways. Families with children under six in those blocks would receive priority enrolment under the Housing and Development Board allocation rules. Property owners in the same area would pay an average additional S$48 per month in the levy, according to the town council’s rate schedule published in May 2026.
Households in rental flats and in estates east of the Pan Island Expressway receive no new facilities under the measure. The legislation contains no provision for extending the bond-funded services beyond the listed precinct boundaries, so residents there continue to rely on existing waiting lists that averaged 11 months for childcare places in the first quarter of 2026.
Next Steps for Voters and Administrators
Eligible voters can cast ballots at the five polling stations operated by the Elections Department between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on 15 August. If approved, the first levy collection begins with the October 2026 property tax cycle, and construction contracts are projected to be awarded by the Jurong East Town Council in the first quarter of 2027. The measure requires a simple majority of valid votes cast; turnout thresholds do not apply under the current Referendum Act provisions.