2-term former councilman John Moss to run for mayor of Virginia Beach

VIRGINIA BEACH (May 27, 2008) - - John Moss, current chairman and co-founder of the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance and former two-term Virginia Beach City Councilman made his announcement Saturday morning that he is running for mayor in the November election.

Known as a staunch supporter of limited government and taxation, Moss appeared before an enthusiastic crowd of supporters. The seat is currently held by Meyera Oberndorf. Other candidates who have declared their intentions to run for the same seat include former city councilman Don Weeks and former vice mayor, Will Sessoms.

Moss laid out the challenges facing the taxpayers of the city in the next five to ten years, and presented a whole array of solutions to reduce the burden on the homeowners who contribute 87 percent of the real estate taxes. What follows is the text of his platform and extensive goals that he says sets him apart from Oberndorf and Sessoms and why voters should elect him as the next mayor of Virginia's largest city.

In making his announcement, Moss said:

"We share a common belief that the founding fathers got it right. Limited government, thrifty government, personal freedom, and free enterprise are the key ingredients to successful self-governance.

"We share a common belief that the purpose of government is to advance the personal prosperity and living standards of families.

"We share a common belief that excessive government spending at the expense of personal living standards of families eats away at the very social fabric of our community and the creed of personal accountability.

"It is clear the Mayor’s and former Vice Mayor’s votes and leadership styles are a rejection of our shared beliefs. It is clear; we are second-class citizens in our own community. We are here today as the first step in lifting the yoke of excessive city council spending and debt off the backs of Beach families. Our victory this November will require untiring dedication in reaching out to voters every day through Election Day. Each of us has to ignite the passion for back to basics government, voter-by-voter and neighborhood-by-neighborhood.

"My commitments to you are as simple and as powerful as the values I hold:

• I promise to treat you, the public, as my employer and act as an employee.
• I promise to respect how hard families work for their money, and honor the principle that government should be last in-line, not first in-line on payday.
• I promise to give the benefit of the doubt to families keeping more of what they earn over the pleading wants of fellow city council members.
• I promise to honor my oath of office and abide by the intent and letter of our city charter.
• I promise never to sell you out to regional government.
• I promise to lead by being a humble and unselfish public servant that judges issue on the merits.

"My priorities as your Mayor will be:

• Increase the disposable incomes of Beach families. Improving the prosperity of Beach families will be my top priority.
• Provide tax relief. Slow the growth rate in City spending to less than the growth rate in Beach families’ incomes.
• Repeal the recently increased tax in the machine and tool tax to create an incentive for job creation.
• Develop a plan to phase out the business occupational professional license tax (PBOL) over the next 7 to 10 years, starting with a five-percent reduction to attract and retain jobs.
• Hold real estate tax revenue growth to no more than (excluding new construction) the percentage change in families’ incomes (using federal Bureau of Labor statistics employment cost index for private sector workers) less one percent.
• Reduce the Meal Tax. Va. Beach has the fourth highest meal tax in the nation at 10.5% on the dollar. We need to reduce it to 7% over the next four years, starting with a one-cent reduction in the 2009-2010 city budget.
• Invest in neighborhoods. Put neighborhood investments (police patrols, streets, etc.) before additional tourist investments to restore balance to city priorities.
• No more subsidies to special interests. It is time to restore a level playing field and rely on the free market. It is time to put an end to taxpayer provided financing to special interest groups.
• Give the public a vote on major public debt issues. Now City Council avoids you, the real co-signer, by issuing debt through the Virginia Beach Development Authority.
• Private sector led economic development.
• Support offshore drilling for natural gas leveraging the old ferry-landing site near Little Creek Amphibious Base.
• Support leveraging the military presence along with phasing out of the BPOL tax to attract defense contractors to relocate or build their businesses here.
• Support building a research center associated with ODU to focus on Homeland Defense, Department of State, and Department of Defense non-hostile force solutions for counter terrorism.

"We are here today because we are the difference between more of the same and a brighter more prosperous future for all Beach families.

"You will be told all is well, look at all the awards the City has won and look at Town Center, new Pavilion, and the Sandler Center.

"What the Mayor will not say is that she violated the intent of her oath of office and the intent of the City Charter by issuing the debt for these facilities backed by City Revenues through the Virginia Beach Development Authority to deny the public their right under the City’s charter to a referendum. They knew these projects were not the highest priority of residents and would not have passed.

"What the Mayor will not say is that she voted for increased spending and taxes approximately 9 percent per year for seven straight years, while your private sector pay went up on average 3 percent. That is right, the Mayor voted to lower your personal standard living every year for the last seven years.

"Never have so few lived so well on the backs of so many. It is time for new leadership. It is our time to be that new leadership.

"The Mayor’s mantra is that you cannot have high value government services without subjugating people to a lower personal standard of living. I believe that great leadership delivers higher value services at the same or less cost by holding their appointees accountable for cost-performance, as in the private sector.

"Virginia Beach did not arrive at today’s crossroads in just the last seven years; it is over two decades of misplaced priorities and excessive issuance of debt.

"The former Vice Mayor is the reverse side of the big government, big spending, and big taxing addiction coin from the Mayor. The only difference in the voting records of the Mayor and the former Vice Mayor is on the encroachments of NAS Oceana. The only significant difference between the Mayor and the former Vice Mayor when it comes to politics is their gender.

"The institutional power brokers understand the power the voters have this November 4th to send a message that we have had enough. Their biggest fear is that the voters will realize that by electing John Moss for Mayor, the status quo will be no more.

"Each of you in this room and countless others are the real difference and the energy of this campaign.

"The last thing the special interest groups want is a Mayor that is truly independent and who judge issues on the merits and with full disclosure. The last thing the special interest groups want is a Mayor that will use the bully pulpit of the Mayor’s office to give volume and credence to the voices now not heard at city hall.

"I will be the voice of the single mother who has to work two jobs because of the 508 taxes and fees the City Council imposes and increases each year that significantly add to the impossibility of spending enough time with her children.

"I will be the voice of the small business just getting started that finds they have to pay BPOL taxes even though their start-up is not making money in the early years.

"I will be the voice for all the families who want City Council to make the same tough choices they make, and live on less of a raise than families get. Families need immediate tax relief to cope with crushing financial pressures of rising food and energy prices.

"The Mayor is only one vote, but no one should underestimate what a competent, dedicated, and proven leader can accomplish by fully leveraging the focal point of government that the Mayor represents.

"November 4th with your time, your friends’ time, your neighbor’s time, and everyone’s financial contributions in support of our campaign, I will be your next Mayor. I promise you my best effort and ask the same of you. Our victory will not be easy. It will require sacrifice, and more sacrifice.

"I have never been more proud or more willing to fight for the values and principles of our founding fathers and for Beach families. From today until November 4th let no opportunity pass to touch a voter and build a tidal wave of electoral change. When the wave settles let no incumbent, except Reba McClannan, remain in office.

"God bless all us all, and now let us get to work!"

Visit Moss' web site: moss4mayor.com