Candidate Profile: Adrian Norman

Mr. Norman is a Van Horn native, and he graduated from Van Horn High School. He enlisted in the Navy immediately after high school. “I wanted to be in the Navy because I love airplanes and being out at sea,” he said.

Mr. Norman said the most significant improvement he’s seen as commissioner is that the budget went from the red to the black. 

“We’ve seen a big turnaround in our financial situation. The county is financially sound. Employees are getting raises, and perhaps most important, the tax rate hasn’t been raised.”

Mr. Norman said he has been part of a new commissioner’s court that has implemented stricter limitations on spending and working together with department heads. “The commissioners all understand that we have to do more with less, and it’s proven that it works.”

He explained that the majority of constituents in Precinct 4 are on fixed incomes. He said it would not be fair to increase tax rates because doing so would have an adverse effect on the people living in his precinct and in other precincts. “I always try and make decisions based upon what my constituents think is right.” 

If re-elected, Mr. Norman said he would like to see more growth. As he sees it, all the surrounding towns are benefitting from growth, primarily because of the oil boom. In terms of growth, Norman said he’d like to see more wind energy because it would create good-paying jobs and more tax revenue as a result.

Norman said he is running for his re-election because he understands the needs of his constituents and the needs of the county. “I feel I have a proven record and it speaks for itself. We’ve had some hard times, but now we’re on the right track. We’ve put the controls in place to curb spending. We are working within our own confines.”

When  asked what he’d like to say to the voters about why he should be re-elected, he said this: 

“Van Horn is home. I’d like to be in the position to help out and play a major part in the community. Since I’ve been a commissioner, I’ve worked to keep taxes low, and I think the numbers bear that out. I will continue to work with commissioners to do what’s in the best interest of our citizens.”