City & town

Virginia Beach City Council

District 9

Vote for: 1
Term: 4 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The city council sets Virginia Beach's budget, tax rates and ordinances and appoints the city manager.

Candidates Compare by issue

John D. Moss

No party listed

Retired Navy civilian; former Virginia Beach City Council member

The gist

Proposes tax relief through lower city spending.
Opposes real estate tax rates above the revenue-neutral rate.
Supports hardening water treatment against cyber-attacks and storms.
Opposes water-intensive development.
Opposes rezonings he considers incompatible, such as Marlin Bay.

More about John

View sources (1)

Proposes tax relief through lower city spending.
How to vote in Virginia Beach: candidate questionnaire (Cardinal News, via ElectUp)
Candidate questionnaire · Cardinal News · app.electup.com
“advocate for a budget that makes the city's budget affordable - less city spending more income retention by residents - Tax Relief.”
Opposes real estate tax rates above the revenue-neutral rate.
How to vote in Virginia Beach: candidate questionnaire (Cardinal News, via ElectUp)
Candidate questionnaire · Cardinal News · app.electup.com
“while increasing the real estate tax rate each year over the state law default revenue neutral rate.”
Supports hardening water treatment against cyber-attacks and storms.
How to vote in Virginia Beach: candidate questionnaire (Cardinal News, via ElectUp)
Candidate questionnaire · Cardinal News · app.electup.com
“hardening our water treatment and distribution facilities against cyber-attacks and physical damage from severe storms, building more water towers”
Opposes water-intensive development.
How to vote in Virginia Beach: candidate questionnaire (Cardinal News, via ElectUp)
Candidate questionnaire · Cardinal News · app.electup.com
“Protecting Virginia Beach's competitive advantage provided by the Lake Gaston will require the city to avoid water- intensive development”
Opposes rezonings he considers incompatible, such as Marlin Bay.
How to vote in Virginia Beach: candidate questionnaire (Cardinal News, via ElectUp)
Candidate questionnaire · Cardinal News · app.electup.com
“District 9 needs a council member who will defend its neighborhoods against incompatible rezonings, for example, Marlin Bay”

Joashua F. "Joash" Schulman

No party listedIncumbent

Virginia Beach City Council member; real estate and business attorney

The gist

Opposes offshore drilling off the coast.
Supports scaling down development to fit neighborhoods.
Voted to cut the real estate tax rate in 2024.In office
Secured funding for Shore Drive and Pleasure House Road projects.In office
Secured design funding for Princess Anne and Bayside schools.In office
Supported pay raises for police, firefighters and teachers.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Joashua

View sources (1)

Opposes offshore drilling off the coast.
Accomplishments - Joash Schulman for City Council
Campaign website · Schulman for City Council · schulman4vb.com
“Fought offshore drilling to protect our coastal environment and tourism economy.”
Supports scaling down development to fit neighborhoods.
Accomplishments - Joash Schulman for City Council
Campaign website · Schulman for City Council · schulman4vb.com
“Successfully advocated for neighborhoods during the development process to help scale down overdevelopment, ensuring projects preserve community character.”
Voted to cut the real estate tax rate in 2024.
Accomplishments - Joash Schulman for City Council
Campaign website · Schulman for City Council · schulman4vb.com
“Voted to cut the real estate tax rate in 2024 and opposed hikes in 2023 & 2025.”
Secured funding for Shore Drive and Pleasure House Road projects.
Accomplishments - Joash Schulman for City Council
Campaign website · Schulman for City Council · schulman4vb.com
“Secured $15M+ for long-delayed road projects on Shore Drive and Pleasure House Road.”
Secured design funding for Princess Anne and Bayside schools.
Accomplishments - Joash Schulman for City Council
Campaign website · Schulman for City Council · schulman4vb.com
“Secured $15.4M to kickstart design work for Princess Anne High School, Bayside High School, and Bettie F. Williams Elementary/Bayside 6”
Supported pay raises for police, firefighters and teachers.
Accomplishments - Joash Schulman for City Council
Campaign website · Schulman for City Council · schulman4vb.com
“Supported critical pay raises for police, firefighters, EMS personnel, teachers, and city employees.”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 7 issues covered in this race.