Jacksonville Tea Party leader namedone of area's newsmakers for 2011

The Financial News and Daily Record on Dec. 27 named Billie Tucker, head of the First Coast Tea Party, one of the 10 most influential Duval County, Fla., citizens of 2011.

Managing editor Kathy Brune Mathis says this about the annual list:

While many people in power will make headlines in 2011, some Duval County business and civic leaders are in positions, by choice or by circumstance, to influence significant events in the coming year.

The Daily Record staff nominated, reviewed, voted and debated a list of dozens of people who are in pivotal civic or business positions and who are expected to tackle significant issues of citywide importance in the coming year.

The top 10 are presented here today, although it’s important to note that many others were strongly considered.

Those chosen are in a specific place of particular relevance to the direction of the city. Their comments and insights will signal directions in business, politics, education and the future of Northeast Florida.

Whether or not you agree with them, you might benefit from knowing their views and plans because they might well affect you.

Here's what the paper says about Tucker:

Billie Tucker, executive director of the First Coast Tea Party, is gearing up her troops for the spring elections and beyond.

The tea party movement across the country strongly influenced the November elections and the First Coast Tea Party is preparing to interview candidates on the local ballot.

An outspoken advocate for tea party principles, Tucker is putting structure to the First Coast Tea Party and setting up committees to keep watch on City, state, federal and school board issues.

Her challenge: “2010 was a year of great wins for the tea party movement. Those wins do not mean we will go away or that our work is done. Because within those great wins came many disappointments. The lame-duck session after our win on Nov. 2 showed us the absolute disregard by our leaders for the desires of the people,” she said.

“We fired them on Nov. 2, yet they kept spending our money, passing legislation to micromanage our lives and gave special deals to their buddies.”

Tucker said that in the private sector, a fired employee is “escorted out the door so they cannot do the company harm. Again, we see government doesn’t work that way and the harm caused by this lame duck will be felt by generations to come.”

Tucker said that attention now turns locally.

“With 2011 just days away, the First Coast Tea Party will turn our attention to finding and electing principled leaders to lead us at the local level. With the many issues facing us as a city, it will take men and women of character and vision who can work together to bring prosperity and jobs back to the First Coast.”

Her personal challenge:

“To keep the good fight going within the tea party movement, balance my life as a wife, mom and grandmother, move my own career to a higher level of performance and satisfaction and grow my faith in the One who sustains me.”

Click here to read the other nine profiles.