Mayor’s Race Lacking in Substance : While Golding and Navarro wade into the petty, city sinks into the mire

Imagine that Nero’s fiddle was so poorly tuned that no one even listened as Rome burned. That’s akin to what is happening in San Diego’s mayoral race--at least so far. To date, both candidates--County Supervisor Susan Golding and slow-growth advocate Peter Navarro--have demonstrated a penchant for issues so petty that they aren’t in tune with voters’ concerns.

As they debate such things as Navarro’s inheritance and Golding’s mathematics, San Diego isn’t exactly burning--but it’s in deep trouble nonetheless. The city is facing a $17-million shortfall just to maintain current services. And that gap could widen considerably, depending on budget negotiations in Sacramento.

San Diego already has one of the lowest police-to-population ratios of any major city in the nation. Defense industry reductions are expected to cost the city as many as 50,000 jobs in the next three years alone. The homeless are threatening to set up a tent city because the City Council is ignoring their needs. And last week’s confrontation between Councilmen George Stevens and Tom Behr is just the latest evidence that childish animosity often interferes with the council’s real business.

Clearly, this isn’t a city that can afford the luxury of a mayoral campaign with a petty focus.

Still, Golding has made a major issue out of Navarro’s finances. Where did an associate professor from UC Irvine, who reported a family income of about $89,000 annually, get the $219,000 he has loaned his campaign so far? Navarro dodged the question for a while, enjoying the strategic advantage of keeping his opponent in the dark about the depth of his pockets.

Now, Navarro has produced documentation that seems to answer the question. Last year, he inherited $300,000. If that’s all there is to it, this isn’t an issue that deserves center stage in San Diego’s first wide-open mayoral race in six years.

And what about Golding’s mathematics? Navarro insists she has inflated the number of beds that have been added to San Diego County’s correctional system during her tenure as supervisor. Golding says the jail system--one of the most overcrowded in the nation--was expanded by 3,200 beds. Navarro says Golding’s cheating because she includes all 2,000 beds at the new East Mesa jail, which isn’t yet fully operational.

Golding counters that her figures are accurate because full operation of the jail has been budgeted for next year. Her figures have been supported by Sheriff Jim Roache and the county staff. So why must a debate over the numbers dominate the campaign for days?

Both candidates have occasionally attempted to tackle more pertinent issues, from expansion of the Police Department to providing more low-income housing. But so far discussion of those legitimate topics has been almost totally overshadowed by petty charges and countercharges.

San Diego voters deserve a more substantive debate--and it’s up to the candidates to deliver it to them in the coming months.