Raising Cain -- and her profile

Orange County Commissioner Teresa Jacobs has been called a lot of things -- smart, stubborn, principled, contrarian, ambitious and fearless, to name a few.

But will she ever be called "mayor"?

The question has been around ever since Jacobs came gangbusters onto the political scene in 2000, ousting embattled incumbent Bob Freeman, who could cobble together only 27 percent of the vote against her.

And she continues to raise her profile through incidents such as last week's County Commission meeting, where the Republican took on everyone from developers to fellow county commissioners, as well as staffers who she suggested were unwilling to challenge the special interests.

Her message was a rallying cry for the populist opinion that developers run roughshod over taxpayers.

But it was also a message that failed miserably when it came to a vote. Despite Jacobs' passionate and lengthy objections to allowing developers to erect projects on already-clogged roads, she found herself on the losing and lonely end of a 6-1 vote.

Such losses don't seem consistent with the profile of a woman who was the only rank-and-file politician whom plugged-in power brokers voted onto Taking Names' list of the Most Powerful People in Central Florida last year.

As a matter of fact, voting by yourself can look pretty impotent.

But Jacobs stressed that, back when she was just a citizen-activist, she was a minority voice in pushing to slow growth in crowded school districts. "Now," she stresses, "that is the law."

"And I think there are an awful lot of people, like me, who would rather go down in flames trying to do what's right."

Jacobs' peers say it's not always that simple. Last week, for instance, several said they too had concerns about developers paying their fair share and about new construction further mucking up the region's roads. But they also said they wanted to study the issue before making decisions that some see as rash and possibly lawsuit-generating.

Still, while the meeting minutes will record a 6-1 vote, they will also show that Jacobs' pleas weren't completely ignored. The board did agree to stop granting future discounts until some of her questions were answered.

It's that kind of progress that has peers like Commissioner Linda Stewart believing Jacobs is making her mark. "I think her district thinks she's doing a very good job," Stewart said. "And I don't think losing those votes hurt her."

But does she have enough clout and interest to wage and win a campaign for the region's most powerful elected post?

"I am interested," she responded.

Next year? Against Mayor Rich Crotty?

A long pause.

A long, long pause.

"No. I don't think that's a possibility."

It's that decision that has Crotty, who has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Jacobs, a bit more at ease when speaking of his fellow Republican.

"She doesn't mind taking tough positions when she thinks she's right. I respect that and don't take it personally," Crotty said, before adding that he's unsure whether she's helping or hurting her appeal. "Only time will tell."

And if Jacobs does sound overly determined or even accusatorial when taking on the status quo, she says that's because: "Every nice thing I have said has gone nowhere."