Jack Ticer is a third-generation Alexandrian. His father Edmund Ticer served on the City Council from 1921 to 1933 and then as mayor from 1932 to 1934. Ticer followed in his father’s footsteps and served on the City Council from 1955 to 1958 and then again from 1963 to 1970. His wife is a former mayor of Alexandria and a current member of the Virginia Senate.
What was your father’s term as mayor like?
They only had five members of the City Council at that time. My father was chairman of the Finance Committee, and it was his responsibility to figure out where the money was coming from. At time the city owned a gas manufacturing plant at the foot Princess Street. When my father was chairman of the committee, the council decided to sell the plant. I think the reason for that was that the city needed the money.
How did your father get elected?
The principal reason that he got to be mayor was that in 1932 because that was the year of the 200th anniversary of birth of George Washington. That was a big deal in Alexandria. Other members of council thought that because he was a younger member of the council that he would have more energy to be the principal representative of the city during that celebration.
Why did you run for City Council?
Because of my father and other members of the family were interested in city government, I was urged by some people to run. It’s hard to put your finger onto something like that, but I was not a crusader. It was just a matter of being able to participate.
Why was urban renewal important to Alexandria?
The point of urban renewal nationwide was to upgrade the commercial property values. The council at that time had seven members, and most of the votes to take those buildings down were four to three. Frank Mann, Jack Pickins and myself were the three members who would often oppose taking those buildings down. But these other four members prevailed, and that’s how the buildings came down.
Did the city lose historically valuable buildings during urban renewal?
In my judgment, yes. Those buildings were very important to the fabric of Alexandria and its history. They would have been a part of the current tourist interest in Old Town. As a result, they would have produced more of an economic advantage.
What are the biggest differences between then and now?
The issues that the City Council members have to meet now are primarily with the budget. But the demands are more complex. There’s a much greater demand on the city government now.
What are your achievements?
The thing that I am proud of the most is having been a member and later chairman of the Board of Control for the Development of a Branch College in Northern Virginia. When the state passed legislation authorizing it, Del. Harrison Mann and Sen. John Donovan were responsible for that legislation that the General Assembly adopted. And today, we have George Mason University because of the work of that board.
What are your interests and hobbies?
Reading. Mainly, I read historical literature. The most recent book I’ve read by George Elliot is “Silas Mariner.” It tells what life was like during that period in England. Another one I read recently was “Return of the Native” by Joseph Hardy, and I think I liked that best of all — so far.