Susan Golding married Stanley D. Prowse,an attorney. They moved to Atlanta,where she was a college instructor at Emory University.[6] In 1974 they moved to California and she was Associate Publisher of NewsPress,a community newspaper. After they divorced,Golding raised her two children,Samuel and Vanessa,as a single mother under her maiden name.[7]
Golding was appointed to the San Diego city council from in 1981,and then won re-election in 1982. In 1983 she briefly served in the Deukmejian administration in Sacramento,and in 1984 she was elected to the Board of Supervisors for San Diego County,California,serving 1985–1992.[10]
In 1992,Golding was elected mayor of San Diego.[10] She campaigned as a progressive Republican,as a supporter of gay rights,abortion rights,affirmative action,and increased environmental protections.[citation needed] Her first campaign was against political science professor Peter Navarro,whom she narrowly defeated. Peter Navarro had a campaign to restrain the "Los Angelization" of the county,by keeping more open space. He won the primary by a large measure but didn't reach the 50% threshold to avoid a runner-up election. The land developer and hospitality lobbies supported Golding against Navarro in the election.[citation needed]
Her major accomplishment as mayor was to streamline city government for businesses,including setting up a "one-stop" shop for permits. She helped set aside 52,000 acres (21,000ha) in the city as part of a comprehensive Multiple Species Conservation Plan. She also increased police funding and patrols,created neighborhood service centers,and helped create the city's first winter shelter for the homeless. During her administration,she was instrumental in San Diego's successful bid to host the 1996 Republican National Convention at the San Diego Convention Center.[10] This helped soothe the pain of losing the 1972 Republican National Convention,[citation needed] which was scheduled for San Diego but moved under scandal.
Golding and the city council faced a problem getting funding for the convention,however. They felt it was too politically risky to raise taxes or cut services. They were accused of paying less into the city's pension fund instead.[11]
In 1996,political scientist Samuel L. Popkin was quoted as saying that Golding would likely have opportunities to run for higher office in California.[10] She made a run for Barbara Boxer's Senate seat in 1998,but dropped out due to lagging polling numbers and fundraising difficulties.[12][13]
In 1995,after the San Diego rampage in which a former US Marine stole a tank,Golding wrote a letter to the California demanding answers and demanding changes[14]
In 1999,a grand jury accused Golding of misconduct related to the building of a new baseball stadium for the San Diego Padres in downtown San Diego. District Attorney Paul Pfingst later exonerated Golding of this charge.[15][16]
1989 Richard Silberman money scandal
In 1989,Golding's husband Richard Silberman,described by the Voice of San Diego as a major player in San Diego politics,was caught in a money laundering scheme by the FBI. The scheme involved $300,000 that was said to be Colombian drug money. Silberman was sent to prison,and Golding divorced him. The scandal did not adversely affect her subsequent run for mayor.[17]
The Chargers deal
In 1995,Golding helped spearhead a deal to expand Jack Murphy Stadium in order to keep the San Diego Chargers in town and attract a second Super Bowl to the city. In it,the city agreed to expand the stadium,which was later renamed Qualcomm Stadium,and add 35 new luxury boxes. In exchange,the Chargers promised to stay in San Diego through 2020.[18]
However,the deal also contained an agreement by the city to buy any tickets the Chargers didn't sell starting in the 1997 season—thus preventing Chargers home games from being blacked out in San Diego.[18] Opponents of the deal got 50,000 signatures for a referendum on this portion of the deal,but the referendum was thrown out by a superior court judge.[19] In part due to the controversy over the so-called "ticket guarantee",public anger over the failed Chargers deal and the related financial losses to San Diego was still high. A city term-limit ordinance prevented Golding from seeking a third term.[20]
Later career
Golding went to work for a San Diego non-profit,"Promises 2 Kids",after leaving her political career behind. As of 2024 she is no longer affiliated with Promises2Kids ( Formerly “The Child Abuse Prevention Foundation”.[21]
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