Wainscott School District Plans New Budget Vote

The Wainscott Common School District scheduled a new vote on June 20 when voters will decide the fate of its revised 2023-2024 budget after voters rejected the district’s initial proposed spending plan.

Officials trimmed $17,000 from the budget, which is still $6,144,331 for the new year, marking a 48.8% increase over last year, due in part to an additional 20 students moving in to the district, Newsday reported.

Wainscott was one of two out of 124 school districts on Long Island — the other was in West Hempstead — in which voters rejected the proposed budget on May 16. In Wainscott, the budget failed in a 91-56 vote because a 60% majority was needed for passage. Melanie Hayward also unseated board of education member Dave Eagan in the election.

The district has 28 students in its elementary school and another 92 students in grades 4-12 to attend Sag Harbor, East Hampton, Bridgehampton and Eastern Suffolk BOCES programs, according to the district.