The move to merge two East End school districts was defeated in a vote Tuesday night.

According to official numbers, Tuckahoe residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of merging with Southhampton School District. Southampton voters struck the vote down, 1,066 to 972.

The results were similar in a previous vote last year. The merger passed in Tuckahoe, but failed in Southampton.

Some residents say that's not surprising since the merger would mean lower taxes in Tuckahoe but higher taxes in Southampton. In this year's plan, the tax hike in Southampton would have been spread out over 10 years.