Q&A: 10 Questions For House District 63 Candidates On Eve Of Special Election

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa voters will take to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in the special election for the open Alabama House of Representatives seat in District 63.

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Patch previously reported that the seat was left vacant when Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced over the summer that State Rep. Cynthia Lee Almond, a Republican from Tuscaloosa, had been appointed to serve as president of the Public Service Commission.

Polls will open Tuesday at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Tuscaloosa Patch provided both candidates running in the special election with the same set of questions and their answers are provided below, beginning with their biographical information.

Judith Taylor

Party: Democrat

Birthplace: Moss Point, Mississippi

Age: 78

Education: Hueytown High School; A.D. Medical Laboratory Science, UAB 1966; B.S. Education 1983.

Professional experience: 45 years in clinical pharmaceutical research including: two years as site coordinator, 10 years of clinical site monitoring for national and international organizations. Owned and operated SORRA Research Center with eight multi-specialty clinics in Birmingham. Owned and operated Clinical Trial Solutions, LLC until 2022. Provided consulting services for compliance with FDA regulations and QA audits for pharmaceutical companies and medical centers national and internationally.

Political experience: No experience as the candidate. Years of experience in supporting candidates, fundraising and active engagement with legislators both locally and in Montgomery. Chair of Tuscaloosa County Democratic Party since 2022. On the Board of Directors for Alabama Arise and Peoples’ Loan Program. Co-lead for MOMs Demand Action for Sensible Gun Legislation.

Norman Crow

Party: Republican

Birthplace: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Age: 57

Education: Graduated from Tuscaloosa County High School; University of Alabama – Accounting
Certified Public Accountant – Inactive.

Professional Experience: President/Owner D.T. Freight Co., Inc 2004–2017; President DT Freight, LLC 2017–2024; Hamner Real Estate 2025.

Political Experience: Tuscaloosa City School Board — District 3 (2013–2017); Tuscaloosa City Council — District 3 2021–Present; Chairman Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama – 2015; Chairman, Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority; Member Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

Q&A

Q: District 63 covers some of the fastest-growing areas of Tuscaloosa. How would you prioritize infrastructure improvements, especially roads, traffic flow and neighborhood development?

Crow: "Infrastructure improvements to our district will be a top priority of mine if elected. We will see the Woolsey Finnell Bridge replaced and I hope to be able to collaborate with the City of Tuscaloosa to bring some transportation grants to the district for needed infrastructure upgrades.Strong water and sewer infrastructure upgrades with the new bridge and roadwork will lead to greater economic success.."

Taylor: "As the representative for District 63, I would hold town hall meetings in each of the unique areas to hear the concerns of my constituents. After identifying the concerns, a meeting with the appropriate municipalities, commissioners or committees would be scheduled. As the state representative I would work to support my constituent’s interest."

Q: What specific steps would you take to support public schools in your district, including teacher recruitment, retention and classroom resources?

Crow: "As a former school board member, I have first-hand experience in supporting our schools. It is important to continue increasing funding in our schools, advocate for teacher raises and continued investment in Pre-K and in our classrooms. I would like to see our Legislature increase funding of the RAISE ACT. Our community has benefited greatly from additional funding based on special needs and poverty in our school system."

Taylor: "I would support rethinking the CHOOSE Act. This act provides funding for private school tuition at the expense of public education and has the potential of posing a treat to the Education Trust Fund in the future. Funding for education on a state level is critical. I would work with other representatives to develop legislation to improve funding to local schools for both primary and secondary levels. Alabama’s property and sales tax collections remain among the lowest in the nation and has resulted in Alabama’s schools ranking 44th nationally. A joint effort of legislators, school boards, and local educators is needed to develop a plan for funding quality, public education for primary and secondary students including supporting teacher recruitment & retention with competitive salaries and classroom resources."

Q: How will you help attract new employers while supporting small businesses in District 63?

Crow: "As a small business owner, I understand that a business requires sound infrastructure as the building block of a successful business environment. If elected I will collaborate with local and state government to help that infrastructure be sound. Good infrastructure will help us recruit and retain businesses in our community."

Taylor: "My initial focus would be on small businesses, given the list of new companies that have recently committed to Alabama. The large companies negotiate concessions from the city, county and state. What concessions are given to small businesses? To the workers? I would hold a listening session with current and prospective business owners to hear their concerns and issues. Small businesses serving local customers, providing personal attention rather than empty storefronts would be a real asset to the city. New employers and new employees will need affordable childcare and possibly public transportation and a representative that will listen and work on their behalf."

Q: West Alabama’s hospitals and clinics face rising demand and workforce strain. Describe your highest priorities as they relate to address health care issues.

Crow: "Our state needs to continue to invest in workforce development efforts to help our health care system. We should continue supporting training opportunities in our two-year college system and support innovative ideas like the Healthcare High School in Demopolis."

Taylor: "As District 63 representative, I would vote to expand Medicaid NOW and to extend the Affordable Healthcare Act. Americans, including Alabamians, deserve a basic healthcare plan. Closing hospitals and losing jobs is not an answer. I would work with the healthcare providers in my district to identify needs and project future needs. I would work with other representatives to prevent additional hospital and clinic closures if possible."

Q: How should the state balance the University of Alabama’s growth with the needs of longtime residents, including concerns about housing, traffic and public safety?

Crow: "The University of Alabama is one of our strongest growth engines in the district. We need to support their growth and partner with them to enhance public safety."

Taylor: "The University of Alabama is, of course, an important and critical provider of employment as well as education for my district and the other districts in greater West Central Alabama. However, we need to also prioritize local residences, local businesses and industry to make sure that they are provided the services they need to keep up with the growth that results directly from the growth of the university. I would hold Town Hall meetings to allow my constituents to discuss issues of concern, for example, student housing versus affordable housing for city residents. Decisions regarding planning and zoning are made at a municipal level. I would expect that my role might be to meet with municipality representatives to see if help with acquiring or procuring funding or state grants is needed."

Q: What state-level policies would you support to strengthen law enforcement and reduce violent crime, while improving mental health and substance abuse services in our community?

Crow: "I have seen firsthand while on the City Council that we have to improve mental health and substance abuse services. Mental health is a huge issue in our community. The state needs to work on funding more long-term beds. I support our law enforcement to continue making our community safe."

Taylor:"I’m sure there are legislative bills that are already in committee. I would need to review these with fellow members of the House to prioritize what is important and what would help my district. We have defunded or cut funding so many substance abuse programs and mental health facilities. Identifying what could be reinstated and procuring funding to bring our mental health system back to the baseline would be a priority. This would include substance abuse and treatment programs as well as in-house facilities. Funding for the training of law-enforcement officers so that they better understand how to interact with mentally ill patients and substance abuse related cases would also be a priority."

Q: What are your top budget priorities for Alabama?

Crow: "My top budget priorities are education, workforce development, fighting crime and economic development increases."

Taylor: "Affordable healthcare; Public education funding; Family planning-body autonomy, childcare cost and availability; birth control education; Economic growth and worker protection; and right to organize. Explore the effects of raising taxes by approximately $354 per person taxes (property& income). Could we raise an additional $1.8 Billion? Could we fund education, healthcare, highways, public safety and other state and local services. Without the regressive sales tax. As presented by the recent report from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA)."

Q: How would you support job training, trade programs and partnerships with institutions like Shelton State Community College and local high schools to prepare workers for modern industries?

Crow: "We need to continue to fund workforce development programs to train our students and adults for the jobs of tomorrow."

Taylor: "I would advocate and support job training in trade programs and partnerships including accelerated high school and dual enrollment programs. Support for the trade programs at Shelton State and Stillman College by encouraging industries and employers to offer internship opportunities for students. I would work to raise support in committees with other legislators to fund these programs."

Q: How will you remain accessible and accountable to District 63 residents, and what will your approach be to bipartisan cooperation in the Legislature?

Crow: "I have served our community for over nine years in public life. And I have always been accessible to the public and will continue to be if elected. I will work collaboratively in a bipartisan way if elected to move our community forward."

Taylor: "As the representative for my district, my telephone number will be listed for my constituents to call me at any time. There will certainly be times that I am not able to answer immediately, but I will respond to the inquiries or messages. I will be available on 'Meet your Legislator Day.' I will be available to speak to your community groups with timely scheduling. I believe that my responsibility to the District 63 residents requires that I be willing and able to work with bipartisan cooperation to achieve the best legislation possible."

Q: What other issues do you plan to address if elected to represent District 63?

Crow:"I will do my best to address all issues that arise if I am elected to serve the citizens of District 63. My record shows that I will have an open-door policy to get what my district requires to be successful."

Taylor: "The lack of public transportation in District 63."

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