Frequently Asked Questions

There are many ways you can get involved.  You can:

1. Pass out campaign literature in your neighborhood

2. Get on the list to put a John Moss for Mayor sign in your yard

3. Work your voting place on election day

4. Make a contribution to John's campaign

5. Hold a coffee at your home with neighbors to meet John

6. Volunteer a special skill

7 Any combination of the above

John's top priorities as your next Mayor are:

1.  Tax relief - making city government more affordable

2.  Public Safety - increase the number of patrol officers to enable more patrol zones per precinct

3.  Improve Education Outcomes - more emphasis on non-college-bound career paths

4. Enable private sector job growth - stop special interest subsidies 

5.  Investment in neighborhoods - road maintenance, flood prevention, etc.

John Moss, as your next Mayor, is committed to the following:

1. Giving you an authentic voice on City Council

2. Making decisions on the merits

3. Restoring voters' trust

4. Balancing present and future needs

Introduction: I often get asked if am I a Republican or a Democrat. Virginia Beach City Council and School Board elections, per the VB City Charter, are non-partisan.  The term “non-partisan” means that party identification does not appear on the ballot. On the election ballot for mayor, you will find (I) [translated as Independent] after each candidate’s name, NOT an (R) or (D). Additionally, Beach residents ask me, “Does it make a difference which party a non-partisan candidate belongs to when it comes to how council members vote.” Detailed explanations of my thoughts are provided in a question-and-answer format below the Executive Summary.

Executive Summary:  As your next Mayor, with the consent of the voters, I will be representing, listening to, and engaging all voters independent of their political party affiliation or non-affiliation and independent of my political party affiliation. I share the values of our nation’s Founders – limited government, personal liberty, free enterprise, and equal opportunity. The mayor’s oath of office, the fiduciary duties of every elected official, the reason the public’s interests and feedback, and my values, not any party affiliation or non-affiliation, will govern and predict my actions on the public’s behalf.

Question: What party are you a member of?

Answer: I am a member of the Republican Party City Committee of Virginia Beach.  

Question: Why are you a Republican?

Answer: I am Republican because the Republican Creed advocates limited government, personal liberty, free enterprise, and equal opportunity. The Republican Creed captures the beliefs of our nation’s Founders and my beliefs.

Background:  On the VB City Council, there is no Republican or Democratic way to do flood protection, build roads, or collect trash as examples. Decisions of the VB City Council should be non-partisan. The VB City Council should support policies that are good for Virginia Beach residents, independent of the party or person who proposes advocates for them. Of course, the opinion of Beach residents should be solicited before taking any such positions.

Question: What does being a Republican mean to you as Mayor?

Answer: The Republican Party or its positions have no control over the execution of my oath of office and my duties as the mayor.  My loyalty is to Virginia Beach residents as required by my oath and my fundamental values. The Mayor of Virginia Beach is a non-partisan position. I will act as a non-partisan Mayor. I was non-partisan during my prior seventeen years of service on the VB City Council.

Background:  My positions and votes, during my city council service, have been devoid of partisan motivations or influences. 

Question: Does a mayoral candidate’s party identification mean anything?

There is no empirical analysis that validates that the self-identification of a mayoral candidate’s party affiliation is a predictor of how they will vote on increasing local government tax and fee rates, rezonings, and other issues. 

Background: Mayor Dyer’s voting record is not aligned with the Republican Creed. Nevertheless, he is endorsed for re-election by the Virginia Beach Republican City Committee. Now you know what I know, many know the Creed, but few truly act on it. 

Mayor Dyer has voted to increase the real estate tax rate over the legally established “lowered rate” under state law every year of his four-year term despite running annual budget surpluses and enjoying annual growth in revenues. He is no fiscal conservative.  

For the most part, there is no difference in the voting patterns of self-identified Democrats and Republican council members. They have been united in their approval of tax and fee rate increases and on key rezonings strongly opposed by neighboring residents.

Question: What is the best indicator of whose interests a mayoral candidate’s vote will represent?

Answer: There is no empirical analysis that validates an answer to this question. There is, however, a consensus that going to VPAP.org and studying the campaign investors of local city council candidates provides much-needed insights.

Mayor Dyer’s votes and my past votes, in the context of VPAP.org data, will provide Beach residents with the best information to draw their conclusion on who will best represent the public’s interest rather than that of special interests.

Background:  At VPAP.org, for example, you can learn that Mayor Dyer received more than $20,000 in donations from a developer, Franklin Johnston Group, of the Silo at Southern Pines project that was approved south of the Green Line and established the precedent of applying unused density of a previous rezoning to this project. Mayor Dyer, over the last four years, received $25,500 from the Franklin Johnston Group [176 units were placed on three acres which is 56.88 apartments on a three-acre parcel] a developer of the Silo at Southern Pines. Mayor Dyer expedited this project from the Planning Commission for a vote five days after the Planning Commission vote, without even the courtesy of informing the district council member, Ms. Henley.  Beach residents and organizations across the city testified for two hours and forty-five minutes in opposition to this project violating the city’s adopted Green Line policy and a host of other shortcomings. Mayor Dyer voted to approve the project. 

This is just one example, and there are others.