Incumbent town supervisor Mike Cazzari will face off against political newcomer Jean Hopper when voters go to the polls on Nov. 4.
Cazzari, a Republican and the former chief of the Carmel PD, is seeking his third two-year term as supervisor.
Hopper, a Democrat, is a longtime Mahopac resident, a community volunteer and decade-long advocate for better local government.
Here is an up-close look at both candidates.
Cazzari says public service has always been at the heart of who he is. The former police chief believes the job helped him gain a deep understanding of the community’s needs.
“I learned that true service goes beyond safety, it takes strong infrastructure, smart planning, and a healthy local economy,” he said. “That’s what led me to take on broader roles in town government.”
After a career in public safety, Cazzari said he understands the need for leaders who make tough choices on fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, and protecting the middle class.
“I ran for office to provide proactive leadership and ensure Carmel remains a community where families, seniors, and working-class residents can thrive, not be priced out,” he said.
Cazzari said the challenge is guiding responsible development while still preserving Carmel’s natural beauty and small-town character. He said that balancing growth with preserving Carmel’s character requires clear zoning, smart planning, and transparency.
“We must prioritize revitalization over sprawl, protect our lakes, trails, and open spaces, and invest in infrastructure that supports sustainable, accessible, and walkable communities,” he said.
Cazzari said his administration has added 150 affordable housing units off Stoneleigh Avenue, with more “over-55” units planned at the Toll Brothers site.
“Affordability shouldn’t mean overcrowding, it should mean smart, thoughtful planning that truly serves our community’s needs,” he noted.
Cazzari says much of the property along Route 6 has been underutilized for years. He said that it may be about to change.
“The expansion of the Mahopac Sewer District, backed by a $76 million deal with New York City will allow us to bring in new commercial investment without burdening the environment,” he said. “My vision is targeted, mixed-use development that supports small business, boosts our tax base, and fits our community's scale.”
Cazzari said infrastructure issues are being addressed.
“We’ve already begun using ARPA funds and newly secured county revenue-sharing dollars to tackle long-overdue projects, like water tank repairs, drainage improvements, and road paving. Waiting for a crisis isn’t an option; proactive investment is the only responsible path.”
Cazzari said the town made the right decision to deny the application for a battery storage farm in Mahopac and then ban them altogether.
“Renewable energy is important, but it must be balanced with the safety and rights of our residents,” he said. “Battery storage facilities raise real concerns, including environmental and fire safety risks.”
At the same time, Cazzari notes, rising electric bills are putting pressure on residents. He said that closing Indian Point without a reliable replacement, such as natural gas, was a serious mistake.
“It drove up costs and hurt seniors and working families. We need a stable, affordable energy supply,” he said.
Cazzari said he played a key role in negotiating the first-ever sales tax revenue sharing between Putnam County and the town of Carmel. He said that money will be dedicated to infrastructure and capital projects. Used wisely, he added, they could help reduce the reliance on property taxes, thus easing the burden on homeowners.
“I’m committed to exploring alternative funding, grants, shared services, and cost-saving measures—to reduce the burden on residents,” the supervisor said. “For example, buying our own jet-vac truck saved taxpayers hundreds of thousands by avoiding outsourcing.”
Cazzari said that throughout his tenure as supervisor, he has not made any decision based on politics.
“I make them based on what’s right. I’ve tackled long-neglected projects, demanded accountability, and prioritized work others avoided,” he said. “Through smart planning, I’ve saved the town hundreds of thousands, improved park safety and access, and secured millions to expand sewer infrastructure, boosting our economy and easing the tax burden.”
Hopper and her husband David have lived in Mahopac for 33 years and their two children are both graduates of MHS.
Hopper graduated from FIT in New York City. Over the years she has volunteered for many school organizations and served as a Scout leader.
“My professional background includes a career in retail management, where I learned the importance of leadership, teamwork, and fiscal responsibility—qualities that translate directly to public service.”
Most recently, Hopper worked as a paraprofessional in a neighboring school district before retiring three years ago, an experience that she says deepened her understanding of the needs of those deserving representation.
“I’ve been a regular attendee of Town Board meetings for over 10 years, publicly advocating for better local government,” she said. “I decided to run for supervisor because I want our community to make well-informed decisions about the projects that shape our future. Too often, projects are started, but never finished, and our tax dollars wasted. We must do better and save money by doing the hard work, studying facts, and understanding long-term costs for every project, big or small.
“I’m committed to asking the right questions and reviewing the details before approving proposals, so we can protect our finances, our environment, and our community values,” she added.
Hopper said she is dedicated to three top priorities—protecting the town’s water resources, upgrading infrastructure and parks, and managing ever-increasing taxes.
“We are a community of hard-working people. Let’s provide the services that benefit us all.”
Hopper notes that the town finally has an updated comprehensive plan—something she’s urged the board to complete for many years.
“The lack of updated codes left us vulnerable to detrimental development, such as the unfortunate battery farm application five years ago,” she said. “It’s important because it helps our town make smart, long-term decisions instead of reacting to problems as they come up. We’re able to adjust zoning requirements to help us protect what makes our town special—like clean water and open space—while still supporting housing, jobs, and infrastructure improvements, and ensuring our decisions today benefit the next generation.
“With thoughtful planning, we can provide the right mix of housing without overloading infrastructure or changing the character of our town, while keeping our loved ones close and supporting local businesses,” she added. “And by creating more housing opportunities, we can free up inventory for home buyers, which leads to reduced tax rates.”
Hopper said she believes housing gets a bad rap and that affordability issues affect young adults, senior citizens, and single/divorced adults who look to be near their children and families, without burdening our schools.
“They simply can’t afford, or cannot find, suitable housing here in Carmel,” she said. “We lost the opportunity at Baldwin Place Farm for housing, along with mixed-use shops, restaurants and business space. Now we have another storage facility. Who wanted that? Our infrastructure needs upgrades for sure. Our many water districts need repairs. We have septic run-off and PFOA/PFOS threatening our lakes and drinking water. That is unacceptable.”
Hopper said the town parks are in disrepair due to lack of maintenance.
“While I applaud the recent hiring of a maintenance manager, we face costly repairs due to neglect,” she said. “I’ll prioritize and complete projects that directly affect the health and safety of the residents. I’ll aggressively pursue state and federal grant money available for projects that meet improvement guidelines, to expand water and sewer access while keeping taxes in check.”
Hopper said she would explore shared services initiatives within the county and make sure the funds the town receives from Putnam County’s revenue-sharing programs are utilized to achieve specific goals.
“For more than 20 years, we’ve been talking about the same issues, and kicking the can has only resulted in costly delays and lack of services,” she said. “We have to stop wasting tax dollars on proposals and plans that go nowhere. It is not sustainable. I’ll provide strong leadership, clear vision, and fiscal responsibility.”
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