Wainscott School Voters Reject 2023 Revote

Voters in the Wainscott Common School District have again voted down the district’s revised budget proposal after the entity’s initial vote failed two months ago.

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 of the $61 million proposed budget with a 49% spending increase.

Melanie Hayward also unseated board of education member Dave Eagan in the election.

The district held a revote on June 20, with a proposed budget that was trimmed about $16,000, but that also failed to pass.

Wainscott Common School 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.

The board of education is now in the process of mapping out its next steps in the wake of the election.