Why I'm Running for Mayor

I’m running to be your next Mayor of the City of Virginia Beach.

I’d like to explain why I’m running despite not receiving the Republican Party endorsement.

Although the Republican Party decided to make endorsements in local, non-partisan elections for the first time, the party simply decided to make endorsements too late to inform candidates’ decisions on whether they would pursue public office – it was just too late, simple as that. My intent was to enjoy my retirement from 40 plus years with the Navy if I did not secure the nomination, but neither myself nor any other candidate could delay their campaigns based on an unknown – that is whether the Republican Party would make endorsements.  The night in April 2024 that the party agreed it would endorse candidates (the process of deciding whether to make endorsements started in April 2023 and was supposed to conclude in November 2023), the party also held the vote for which candidate to endorse. By that point, however, the campaign season was well underway for all candidates.

Fortunately, party endorsements do not decide elections and I have faith that Virginia Beach voters exercise their own decision-making in electing their representatives on City Council.

I petition to you that the current City Council, Mayor Dyer included, has failed to provide tax relief, and has instead spent budget surpluses rather than returning that money to the people that earned it – you. In other words, you’ve been overtaxed.  Mayor Dyer’s recommended budgets were in direct contrast to the budgets recommended by Republican Governor Youngkin and adopted by the General Assembly that returned portions of annual budget surpluses in the form of tax rebates, eliminated the state sales tax on food, and doubled the state income tax standard deductions for single and joint filers.

I don’t think you’re getting the best representation on City Council from Mayor Dyer, so I’m campaigning for your vote. I’m asking you to hire me to fight for you. Mayor Dyer has failed to practice the same budgetary discipline that he asks of the very people he serves. Why should families have to make sacrifices while Mayor Dyer continues to vote to tax and spend? Ask yourself, would you hand over your household finances to be managed by Mayor Dyer? I think the answer would be a resounding no. Mayor Dyer has proven to be a poor steward of your taxpayer dollars. Simple and plain.

A vote for me, John Moss, is a vote to reduce the burden of local government on your household budget. Virginia Beach families can no longer afford Mayor Dyer’s poor leadership. 

I am running to give you a voice and vote in the office of Mayor, restore common sense budgeting, and eliminate the undue influence of monied special interests.