HAMMOND | The city controller's expected report on the spending of gaming money has been delayed because her office is preparing the 2008 city budget, a spokeswoman for the office said Tuesday.

The City Council adopted an ordinance in June that requires City Controller Barbara Cardwell to issue a quarterly report detailing how the city has spent its riverboat casino funds. The ordinance requires the report be prepared within 30 days of the end of each quarter. The latest quarter ended June 30.

City Council President Dan Repay said he has been in contact with Cardwell, whom he said is trying to finalize the budget so it can be submitted to the council when it next meets Aug. 13.

Repay said he was told the casino report will be available within weeks.

"They don't think it will take as long as a month," he said.

Repay said he has previewed a sample of the format for the report, which provides detailed information of spending by each council member, the mayor, and the revenues shared by the council and the mayor.

While detailed, it is not overly so, Repay said.

"It gave enough information so if someone wanted to pursue it further, they could do that," Repay said.

But the report has taken a back seat to the city budget preparation, he said.

Having the budget submitted by the council's next meeting means the council would have two weeks to review the document before setting budget hearings with department heads, he said.

A final version of the budget must be approved and submitted to the Lake County auditor's office by Sept. 30, just prior to the Oct. 1 deadline set by the state for the Lake County Council to have voted on adopting a local option income tax.

Repay said the city's budget process will proceed as usual and may have to be adjusted at a later date should the County Council decide to forgo adopting the income tax.

A "no" vote by the County Council in effect would freeze the city's tax levy at the 2007 level.

Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said Tuesday he is preparing for the worst-case scenario in readying the budget for the City Council.

"I'm assuming the County Council is not going to take any action, and we're preparing for the worst," he said. "I'm working with Councilman Repay and other city councilmen and speaking with department heads about the changes proposed for their departments."