When Yorktowners head to the polls, they will decide whether to keep incumbent Ed Lachterman as town supervisor or elect Democratic challenger Jann Mirchandani, a longtime resident and financial services professional. Lachterman has emphasized infrastructure upgrades, economic development, and community programs, while Mirchandani has focused on updating the town’s comprehensive plan, promoting smart growth, and ensuring fiscal accountability. The contest is a rematch of the April 2024 special election that followed the passing of Supervisor Tom Diana in January of that year.
Why are you running for Town Supervisor? Please note that we are limited in our word count. For my complete answers to the questions, please visit EdLachterman.com.
I have been honored to serve in Yorktown government for the past 10 years, the last two as your town supervisor. Before that, I built a career in the hospitality industry, starting as a busboy and working my way up to Director of Operations. I’ve managed six restaurants, overseen more than 30 managers and 500 employees, and been responsible for a $125 million operation.
My love of working with people and solving problems inspired me to run for office. That passion was reinforced when I went through the process of building a home in Yorktown — and experienced firsthand the amount of red tape residents face. It showed me how my background had prepared me to help others navigate and improve local government.
How do infrastructure, development, green space, and affordable housing intersect, and how would you maximize benefits while avoiding costs or overdevelopment? Yorktown’s motto, Progress with Preservation, has guided every decision I’ve made as Supervisor. Suburban communities like ours face new challenges requiring bold leadership that protects our character while growing our economy responsibly. We’ve partnered with applicants to improve infrastructure—such as the Route 202 upgrades by Lowe’s and the Route 118/Underhill Avenue intersection—where applicants funded most costs alongside local and state partners. We’ve also strengthened our environment through the Tree Bank, planting over 100 trees, and invested $3.4 million in our parks over the past four years—with even more improvements ahead.
Is the town’s zoning code up to date to handle modern needs? If not, how do you fix it? I addressed this in an editorial on the Overlay District scheduled to be in this paper. (See the Opinion section which page 22.)
How will the town pay to update aging infrastructure that is not part of any new developments? Since 2021, the town has invested over $9.4 million in road infrastructure not tied to new development — $3 million more than the previous nine years combined. We’ve improved roads, upgraded parks with $3.4 million for pool enhancements, new lights at Downing Field, turf at Legacy Field, and Shrub Oak Stream work. The Police Department received major facility upgrades and $1 million for communication systems. We’re also relining water mains and upgrading pump stations through sound financial management and grants, ensuring responsible investments in Yorktown’s future.
Are you concerned about traffic? How do you propose to address it? Growth brings more traffic, but Yorktown has long carried the region’s burden without modernizing our own roads. New development helps fund road, lighting, and infrastructure upgrades without major tax hikes. The town also hired its own traffic consultant to review studies, ensuring projects protect Yorktown’s interests and improve traffic flow.
What are your priorities for Yorktown Heights, Shrub Oak and the other hamlets? Revitalizing the Heights hamlet is one of my proudest achievements. The nearly complete Underhill Farms project transformed a long-abandoned school property into new housing, vital infrastructure, and a preserved historic mansion. It will generate $1 million in new taxes and has become the catalyst for Yorktown Heights’ renewal.
At Yorktown Green, a once-blighted shopping center is now a vibrant economic hub, sparking additional investment like the $10 million renovation of the Triangle Center.
Looking ahead, the Downing Road Streetscape Project will beautify the Heights, improve safety, and link the North County Trailway to downtown. We’ve also applied for a Downtown Revitalization Grant for Shrub Oak and reengaged the Shrub Oak Tire Center owner to plan its future.
These projects reflect our commitment to smart growth, economic vitality, and preserving Yorktown’s historic character.
Are moratoria on battery farms and solar farms the way to go? Yorktown is proud to be a Climate Smart Community, recognized for leadership in sustainability. Our Greenhouse Gas Inventory led to actions like LED lighting and Town Hall heat pumps. Partnering with Sustainable Westchester, we expanded community solar, helping residents save about 10 percent on utilities while reducing our environmental footprint.
How does the overlay law work, and what changes, if any, do you think are needed? This tool, which was identified in the Town's Master Plan and approved with bipartisan support, was called a model for towns by the BCW. It allows the Town Board to include projects within two designated districts and gives the Planning Board flexibility to make each project the best possible fit for Yorktown.
Are tax exemptions for developers a net positive or negative, and why? Let’s be clear: Only eight projects have received the Town’s 485-B tax abatement, all major employers like Lowe’s and CareMount—none residential. This state program, which phases in tax increases based on property improvements, doesn’t cut existing taxes. It’s been a valuable tool attracting cornerstone projects that have strengthened Yorktown’s economy and created local jobs.
A prime example is Trader Joe’s: The 485B program helped attract this national retailer to our community and replaced a blighted spot. Eliminating 485B would drive away businesses like Trader Joe’s, showing just how shortsighted and uninformed my opponent truly is.
Will Yorktown need to raise taxes again, and if so, would you support it? Raising taxes is always the last resort. Like any household or business, some costs—like insurance, which has doubled in five years—leave no alternative. The choice becomes cutting services or modestly raising revenue. I will always fight to protect Yorktown’s taxpayers, put them first, and respect their hard-earned dollars.
What can you do to draw more residents into the process at Town Board meetings? I always welcome resident feedback at Town Board meetings, but you don’t need to wait for one to raise an issue. My colleagues and I work for Yorktown every day. If concerns arise, residents can contact us anytime—we’ll listen, prioritize their needs, and provide timely, helpful answers.
Why should Yorktowners vote for you? I’m proud of Yorktown’s progress and even prouder to serve the people who make it special. With a proven record of success and a clear vision, I’ll keep Yorktown the best place to live, work, and raise a family. Together, we’ve built confidence and growth—and I humbly ask for your vote this November.
A Yorktown resident for more than 20 years, Jann Mirchandani is the Democratic candidate for town supervisor. She has raised two children who graduated from Yorktown High School, spent 10 years in financial services holding a Series 7 license, and has owned Westchester Marketing Cafe, a certified woman-owned business, for 25 years. Mirchandani has served on nonprofit executive boards for more than 35 years, including as trustee of a $4 million private trust, and chaired the Program Fee Task Force for a regional nonprofit board, addressing a $640,000 budget shortfall. She said she is inspired by leaders who are curious and ask questions rather than pretending to have all the answers.
Why are you running for Town Supervisor? I'm running because I believe Yorktown deserves leadership that plans proactively, uses taxpayer dollars strategically, and holds developers accountable to community standards.
How do infrastructure, development, green space, and affordable housing intersect, and how would you maximize benefits while avoiding costs or overdevelopment? These issues intersect at a fundamental level: Poor planning costs more. Our comprehensive plan is 15 years old and doesn't address modern challenges like sustainable energy or true walkability. We need updated zoning that incentivizes smart growth—mixed-use development near areas that already have roads, water lines, sewer systems, and businesses in place, not sprawl that increases service costs.
Green space preservation should be prioritized through our comprehensive plan, not negotiated project-by-project. Affordable housing must include all ages and income levels, not just 55+ developments. Developers should pay for traffic mitigation, not taxpayers.
Are moratoria on battery farms and solar farms the way to go? Moratoria are blunt instruments that signal "we're not ready to make decisions." I understand the concerns about battery energy storage systems—legitimate safety issues exist and restrictions make sense until safety standards catch up with technology.
But a blanket ban on ground-mounted solar uses the wrong approach. The question isn't whether to allow ground-mounted solar—it's ensuring we get the right projects in the right locations that actually benefit Yorktown residents.
How does the overlay law work, and what changes, if any, do you think are needed? In plain English: overlay zoning lets the town say "in this specific area, we'll allow different uses than the underlying zone—if developers meet certain conditions and provide community benefit such as improved walkability or infrastructure improvements."
The problem is execution. Yorktown's overlays are being applied in a way that puts developers in the driver's seat. Take Underhill Farms: If walkability is the goal, traffic mitigation should maximize intersection improvements—not cut costs for developers. Or Navajo Fields, which shouldn't have progressed as far as it did since it clearly doesn't fit the overlay criteria.
Are tax exemptions for developers a net positive or negative, and why? Current 485-b exemptions are a net minus because we apply them indiscriminately, costing over $1.7 million in cumulative lost revenue. We gave exemptions to commercial projects that simply relocated from other Yorktown shopping centers—zero net growth, pure revenue loss. Meanwhile, major developments like Lowe's and Optum would have been built anyway.
We should be using incentives to encourage smart redevelopment such as adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Will Yorktown need to raise taxes again, and if so, would you support it? I don't know what increase the current board will approve this year. I will do everything in my power to minimize taxes. Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, by updating our comprehensive plan and working closely with our municipal departments, we'll have a blueprint for both short and long-term planning and budgeting.
What can you do to draw more residents into the process at Town Board meetings? Respect people's time by running meetings efficiently, focusing on town business, and informing the public on the process and status of public works. Address unprofessional conduct—watching board members shout at each other discourages attendance as well as participation.
Then create clear agendas in advance, ensure equal access to information, and follow up publicly on resident concerns so people see their input matters. My decades of Board service have taught me that good process builds trust.
Why should Yorktowners vote for you? Because I have a clear vision for Yorktown's future—and the skills to make it happen.
I see walkable downtowns where local businesses thrive. Infrastructure maintained proactively, not reactively. Housing that's affordable for teachers, first responders, and young families—not just luxury 55+ developments. Development that enhances our community rather than strains it. Town Board meetings where residents are genuinely heard.
But vision without execution is just talk. My strength is bringing people together to get things done. I built consensus on the Program Fee Task Force by listening to competing stakeholders and finding common ground. My financial background gives me the analytical skills to manage complex budgets and development deals. And I have a roll-up-your-sleeves mindset—I don't just identify problems, I work through the details to solve them.
Good governance means asking the right questions, gathering the right expertise, and keeping projects moving forward until they're finished. That's the leadership I'll bring to Yorktown.
I'm asking for your vote to build the future we all want—together.
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