Five candidates are running for mayor in Virginia Beach: Robert “Bobby” Dyer, Richard “RK” Kowalewitch, John Moss, Chris Taylor and Sabrina Wooten. Former candidate Cheryl Turpin dropped out of the race Aug. 27.
The mayor is elected at-large to a four-year term, and the office has no term limits.
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Robert “Bobby” Dyer
Age: 74
Occupation/job title: Professional-in-residence, Robertson School of Government, Regent University
Highest level of education: Doctoral degree, Regent University
Previous elected offices held: Current mayor of Virginia Beach; Virginia Beach City Council member
Military service: United States Marine Corps
Website: www.bobbydyerformayor.com
What would be your top priority if elected? Affordability is the top concern, not only in our great city, but across the nation. The national economy with high inflation and interest rates hurts every family and every city government. Groceries and gas have skyrocketed in cost and so have costs in government in everything from roads to schools to employees. We lowered real estate taxes this year and have the lowest tax rate in Hampton Roads. We balanced that by fully funding our schools and dedicating hundreds of millions of dollars to combat flooding. We have been a ribbon-cutting champion in attracting new business and jobs, including everything from Amazon to small businesses across the city. These new jobs will help local families and new businesses will generate city revenue without relying on residential taxes.
What steps need to be taken in order to provide more affordable housing options in Virginia Beach? Housing challenges are so significant that our military partners list it as a major priority. I was chair the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, and their position is clear. Our executive director stated, “If the cost of housing in Hampton Roads continues to climb, this could have a negative impact on future military basing decisions.” Solving the housing cost crisis actually strengthens our partnership with the military. We’ve made attainable housing a top priority and are working to lower the costs of building new housing and increasing the availability of housing while preserving our great quality of life.
If elected, what actions would you take to increase economic development and lower tax burdens on residents in Virginia Beach?
I always say, “Friends don’t let friends’ kids find jobs in Northern Virginia. We’ll get them a career here.” We are attracting jobs in Virginia Beach, and partnering with Gov. Youngkin and his economic team, Virginia Beach is bearing the fruits of success. We’ve brought new companies here and overseas broadband cables are building a strong technology sector for job growth. We are also preserving the future of NAS Oceana and, as Virginia Beach’s first veteran Mayor, strengthening our partnership with the military to keep our community and economy strong. These efforts generate revenues that allow more reductions in taxes. Our taxes are much lower than neighboring cities and that’s due to our success at expanding the business tax base. We need even more successes in the future.
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Richard “RK” Kowalewitch
Age: 64
Occupation/job title: Self-employed, construction
Highest level of education: some college or professional certification
Website: www.RKforMayor.net
What would be your top priority if elected? My priority is to follow proper procedures to fix defects in the City Charter & to stop violations of election law. Below are two examples: a. Charter § 3.01:1 states Virginia Beach has a 7-3-1 at large voting system. The voting system was changed knowingly and illegally by City officials in 2022 to a 10-1 district system. Officials claim there is a court order. That court order was vacated. Va. Code § 15.2-200 was not followed to legally amend the charter. b. In the mayor’s race for 2024, there are three ineligible candidates. Two of the candidates have violated Charter § 3.02:2, and three have violated The Constitution of Virginia Article VII Section 8 and Va. Code § 15.2-1535. Please note that city employees are considered to be appointees. These candidates should not be on the ballot in November.
Editor’s note: The candidate has filed lawsuits challenging the district voter system and eligibility of other candidates. Those lawsuits are pending and no determination about legality has been made.
What steps need to be taken in order to provide more affordable housing options in Virginia Beach? Unfortunately, in a free market economy, the market dictates what the price of houses will be. The City of Virginia Beach carries $1.2 billion in bond debt, not counting the unfunded unmandated pension liabilities. I do not think it is fair for citizens to pay for one person’s gains or the profits of any developers. I think it needs to be explored to provide some incentives for police, firefighters and teachers. They are a key part of the economic structure in a free enterprise system. I am for whatever will make this city better and is fair for all businesses and citizens. The citizens and businesses are already paying high taxes and fees. I want to decrease these, not increase them. I will be fiscally responsible with our budget.
If elected, what actions would you take to increase economic development and lower tax burdens on residents in Virginia Beach? The first step is to do an audit on all departments within the city to cut frivolous and unnecessary spending. It is estimated that 10-15% could be cut from each department. This would result in an immediate savings to residents in Virginia Beach. Second, all public private partnerships need to be fully vetted to make sure they are not competing with the private sector. Any PPP needs to be in favor of the taxpayers first, not for the developer. Businesses should not be asked to collect a tax to create their own competition.
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John Moss
Age: 70
Occupation/job title: Retired as Director Submarine Warfare Programs and Warfare Development, Commander Submarine Force Atlantic Command
Highest level of education: MA U.S. Naval War College (Senior Officer Class); MPA Old Dominion University
Previous elected offices held: Virginia Beach City Council member: At-large 2011-2022; At-large 1992-1995, and Kempsville Borough 1986-1990
Website: JohnMossforMayor.com
What would be your top priority if elected? Reducing the financial burden of local government taxes on families and businesses. Place fiscal discipline on spending growth by reducing the real estate tax rate and indexing it, and phasing out the personal (car tax) and business property tax over time. Like the private sector, the city’s technology investments must deliver productivity and cost reduction. Revenue growth from economic growth would not automatically be applied to increased spending. A portion of end-year budget surpluses will be returned to residents by reduction in tax rates, for example, the car tax.
What steps need to be taken in order to provide more affordable housing options in Virginia Beach? Affordable housing includes renting, first home purchase, and remaining in a home purchased. Increases in property taxes and shelter costs are now factors adversely impacting all categories of shelter affordability. Exerting downward pressure on the real estate property tax rate and completing flooding projects to slow insurance cost increases are easy low hanging fruit actions to improve shelter affordability. City Council should better leverage the Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation (VBCDC) whose mission is to provide affordable shelter. Transferring excess city, schools, Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA) properties to the VBCDC would be a good start, for example, the old Circuit City property owned by the VBDA.
If elected, what actions would you take to increase economic development and lower tax burdens on residents in Virginia Beach?
I will make the case with council peers to end city council’s strategy of picking the winners and losers via taxpayers’ direct and indirect subsidies, for example the “wave pool”. Enact broad-based reform to our tax structure to accelerate economic growth. Let the free enterprise capital markets decide what is profitable and what is not. Reduce the time to open a business by extending the use of private sector sources to review Amazon’s site plans and construction to all businesses in a bonded environment. Implement the use of artificial intelligence software to achieve major productivity in delivering city services and providing the means to rely on auditable third verified-compliance of residents and businesses with city ordinances and regulations.
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Chris Taylor
Age: 40
Occupation/job title: City Council member, Virginia Beach
Highest level of education: Bachelor’s degree, Business Administration
Previous elected offices held: Current City Council member Virginia Beach, since 2023
Website: https://christaylorforvb.com/
What would be your top priority if elected? Stormwater/Flooding mitigation.
What steps need to be taken in order to provide more affordable housing options in Virginia Beach? Minimize special interest influence. City staff should identify what if any city properties could be developed for affordable housing. Gain support from citizens on plans for improvements in affordable housing.
If elected, what actions would you take to increase economic development and lower tax burdens on residents in Virginia Beach? My first action would be to direct the City Manager to review all policies related to economic development. We need an assessment of the effectiveness of current economic development strategies. We need to incentivize local small businesses to expand and grow their businesses. I would advise the City Manager to reduce vacancy savings projections, and utilize surplus monies to reduce the real estate tax rate. The council could also consider revising dedicated fund source policies, which would reallocate funds to assisting more small businesses.
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Sabrina Wooten
Age: 49
Occupation/job title: City Council member, Virginia Beach; adjunct professor at Regent University
Highest level of education: Masters Degree in Public Administration, Regent University; Doctoral student in Public Administration, Walden University
Previous elected offices held (if any): Virginia Beach council member, District 7, since 2018
Website: www.WootenforMayor.com
What would be your top priority if elected? The top priority of my administration will be to eliminate excess spending and increase the effective use of resident’s tax dollars by implementing the following: Yearly Assessment of Programs: Implement a regular review process to assess the effectiveness and relevance of government programs. Identify and eliminate obsolete programs that no longer serve their intended purpose. Cut excess spending by reallocating resources to more impactful initiatives. Public Engagement: Conduct public surveys, town hall meetings, or online platforms to gather feedback on spending priorities. Utilize feedback to prioritize funding for programs that align with community needs and preferences. Increase transparency in budgeting processes to build trust and accountability.
What steps need to be taken in order to provide more affordable housing options in Virginia Beach? 1) Secure increased funding from state and federal governments for affordable housing projects. For example, provide grant funding to non-profit housing organization. 2) Promote mixed-income developments. Encourage developments that integrate affordable housing with market-rate units. This can help prevent the concentration of poverty and provide a broader range of housing options within diverse communities. 3) Preserve existing affordable housing by implementing programs to renovate aging housing units to prevent deterioration and conversion to market rate properties. 4) Address homelessness by developing comprehensive strategies that support programs and services that assist individual’s transition into stable housing. 5) Collaborate with key stakeholders to create innovative solutions.
If elected, what actions would you take to increase economic development and lower tax burdens on residents in Virginia Beach? As Mayor I would take the following actions: Economic Development: Invest in infrastructure improvements such as expanded transportation networks and incentives to attract businesses in renewable energy sectors like wind and solar. Support local arts and culture initiatives to stimulate economic growth and tourism. Workforce Development: Develop training programs and certifications for jobs in renewable energy industries. Collaborate with educational institutions to align curriculum with industry demands. Lower Tax Burdens: Expand programs that assist with increasing costs and inflation, such as property tax relief for seniors and financial assistance for young adults. Advocate for policies that stabilize property taxes and utility costs to mitigate the financial burden on residents.
