MONTGOMERY, Ala. – For Rep. Norman Crow, the newest member of the Alabama Legislature, an open seat in District 63 was an opportunity to “serve on a higher level.”
Crow, a businessman, is no stranger to public service.
He was previously a member of the Tuscaloosa City Council and the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education. Crow was also appointed by former Gov. Robert Bentley to the Alabama Workforce Council in 2014 and to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education by Gov. Kay Ivey in 2017.
He’s the former president and founder of a local freight company and a certified public accountant with an accounting degree from the University of Alabama.
“I’ve always believed in giving back and giving back to my community, and trying to help my community, so I’ve been involved in a lot of different things in Tuscaloosa,” Crow said. “I’ve been so blessed with the different activities, whether chairing United Way or being involved in the chamber or economic development. Those are passions of mine to help make life better for our citizens.”
The seat came open last summer after Gov. Kay Ivey appointed former Rep. Cynthia Almond to lead the Alabama Public Service Commission, the board tasked with regulating state utilities.
District 63 covers the southeastern portion of Tuscaloosa County. Other previous holders of the seat include current Alabama Finance Director Bill Poole and Bentley.
Crow launched a special election campaign and defeated Democrat Judith Taylor in a Jan. 13 special general election.
He was sworn in the day after his special election but had to wait two weeks to vote in the chamber while the results were certified.
Since then, Crow has dived into the legislative process, serving on the influential Education Policy and House Ways and Means Education Committees. He was also tapped for the Health Committee later on but did not sit on any meetings as a committee member.
Crow also sponsored a bill to dictate how business owners should round payment totals in today’s post-penny landscape. That bill easily passed both Houses and has been sent to Ivey for her signature.
“It’s been an interesting several months since I won the special election (on) Jan. 13,” Crow said. “It’s been an honor to serve the district and really serve the people of Alabama, so it’s been a fun three months.”
Crow sat down with Alabama Daily News to talk about his decision to run and his experience in the State House this session. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: You’ve been involved in public service in many different ways. How did you reach the decision to run for a seat in the State House?
“It is just the opportunity, the door was open to say, ‘Hey, we need somebody good to run for this seat that I think would understand what’s happening in our community.’ (I) decided to run, and the people elected me, and (I’ve) been honored to do that because it’s a different level of public service. To me it’s a little bit higher of a commitment in some ways because of your time, but it’s something I think is real important. I want to help my district and help Tuscaloosa and the state of Alabama continue moving forward.”
Q: What are the biggest issues facing the people of District 63 today?
“I think economic issues with families. Right now, people want to see the economy continue to get better. Education is a big issue in Tuscaloosa because I do represent the University of Alabama, it’s part of that sphere. I think continuing to increase our education opportunities for our kids and and really adults to find jobs of tomorrow. That is such a crucial thing. I think we’ve done some good things with education. I think things are headed the right way with some of our kids, but we still need to fund it, and we still need to keep growing the economy to have more jobs for the future
There’s been a big issue in Tuscaloosa as far as mental health goes. Our community’s always been the center of the mental health world in the state of Alabama, and I think we’ve got some mental health issues that we’re trying to deal with. I think those are bigger issues for the state that hopefully in the next four years, we’re going to try to start working maybe a little more on some of those.
I do think just improving quality of life for our citizens and providing opportunities is so important for our state, and I think we’re in a good spot, but we can continue to move things forward and I think that’s kind of why I ran.”
Q: What’s it like coming into the Legislature at the end of the quadrennium?
Coming down as a new person, you really have to see what’s happening. But I think a lot of the work goes into the (Legislature’s) main function to pass budgets. A lot of that was already well on its way before I ever walked in the door, which, I’ll be honest is a little frustrating to me. But this job, if I’m fortunate enough to be reelected in November, this job will be very difficult, but it also will be more manageable because I will be working on things from now till next February.
There’s things that I want to do for my community or funding for certain things. That process has to start quicker than the end of January, so that was frustrating. That part was, but everybody’s been great. I couldn’t say better things about Speaker Ledbetter, leadership and just my colleagues.
There’s five of us that are coming in (for) our first session, and they’re just great people, too. That’s kind of been fun to share stories with them being newbies this last year of the quadrennium. It is a lot to absorb in a short amount of time, and I feel like I’ve survived and done okay. I’m excited about the future, and I’ve really enjoyed being here.”
Q: Outside of your public service, you have a lot of experience in the private sector. How have you brought that expertise into the Legislature?
“When you have had your own business – I was fortunate to have one, had a lot of employees, more than probably 100 people working for me at one time – making sure that we don’t enact things that hinder business I think is important. But I think trying to have the lens of what are we doing to cost a business more that might not want to locate in Tuscaloosa or really the state? Just making sure that we’re watching what we’re doing on that front, not putting too much regulation on but finding what is that right regulation to make sure that people are safe from things, but then also, are we growing the economy?”
Q: How has it been working in the House in your first session?
I’ve really enjoyed working with my colleagues. The legislature ought to be people of different backgrounds, different experiences, coming together to make good decisions for the people. I think we really have that here, even though I read negative things that are said. I get that because nobody is going to be happy about every vote I have or everything I do, but I do try to listen to people, and I try to reason, to come to the best decision that I can.
I think you’ve got 105 people in the House that I believe that those are their goals, too. We may have different ways sometimes of getting there, but I see more agreement. If you look at most of the things we’ve done, it’s been pretty unanimous. There’s some things that have not been but, but I mean, overall, I think there’s a good way that everybody works together to do what’s right. I do think that’s encouraging, and I tell people that all the time at home, that there’s some really good people that serve and really care.
I’m also blessed to be part of the Tuscaloosa delegation of Democrats and Republicans. They’re just a good group of folks, and they’re good to work with and fortunately I knew a lot of them before I came down here, but that has helped me a lot, too, because I already was involved enough where I knew people. That made the transition probably a little easier for me, but you still got to start in the broom closet and work your way up.”
Q: You’re in a unique position having just gotten elected and now having to head back out on the campaign trail. What has that been like for you?
“Honestly, the re-election campaign hasn’t even started yet because I just got elected in January. Special elections are very strange anyway, turnout is not really good. It’ll be a more normal campaign in the fall, and I think turnout will be a lot better. You’ve just got to talk to the people and constituents and see what those concerns are, but hopefully they will look on this session (and see) that I’ve done a good job.
I don’t think we know 100% what (the biggest issue) will be in November yet, but I do think a lot of it goes around some of the economic things that are happening. Those are the kind of things that I hear a more about, gas prices. There’s not a lot we can do to control a lot of that, but I believe a lot of that will calm down this summer.
The key is, you prepare for that by listening to people, talking to people, meeting with people. I think I’m pretty good at doing that, and I talk to people a lot and look forward to getting down to the district and making my case to the voters, probably summer and fall.”