GARY | The ravages of a struggling community aren't enough to keep big-time money away from the Steel City.

Mayor Rudy Clay, who is fighting to ease Gary's $60 million budget deficit, has a campaign war chest flooded with steep donations, a Times computer-assisted analysis of 2006 campaign finance reports shows.

About 44.3 percent of Clay's itemized contributors gave $1,000 or more.

Those hefty contributions accounted for only 5 percent to 8 percent of Crown Point Mayor Dan Klein, Hobart Mayor Linda Buzinec and East Chicago Mayor George Pabey's campaign dollars.

"I'm no stranger to the political arena," Clay said. "The people who support me know I'll do a good job for people in the community."

The Democrat held his first public office in 1973 and served as a state senator, Lake County councilman, recorder and commissioner before becoming Gary's mayor last April.

His shift to a smaller office hasn't stymied the flow of his contributions.

From April 8 through the end of the year, Clay raked in $163,270.48 in itemized contributions, which are donations of $100 or more. The 71-year-old raised another $54,666 in donations of less than $100.

Clay said big money doesn't equal big favors.

His biggest contributor was city contractor Baker & Daniels LLP, which donated $4,000. That company's lobbying contract was chopped by 80 percent last December, Clay said.

A representative from Baker & Daniels could not be reached for comment.

"Everybody who knows me knows they're not going to get favors," Clay said. "That ain't how it's going to work. We'll do what's in the best interest of the city."

About 14.3 percent of contributors for Clay were companies or individuals who perform work for the city.

Prewitt Construction owner Charles Prewitt, who donated $3,000, said he has been contributing to Clay's campaigns since 1972.

"I like the way he carried himself," Prewitt said. "He's just a really nice guy who didn't talk down to people, was always neat, well groomed."

Engineer William Hall said it was Clay's character, not connections, that convinced him to sign over $1,000 last year.

"I'm behind him," said Hall, who works for United Consulting Engineers & Architects in Indianapolis. "Morally, he's a good man."

Hall said he is not now doing any work for Gary.

The Gary Jet Center poured $2,000 into Clay's campaign. The company announced late last year that it will be building a $4.1 million, 38,000-square-foot hangar for corporate jets at the Gary/Chicago International Airport.

The biggest slice of Clay's donations, 16.1 percent, came from builders, developers and engineers related to development.

BREAKOUT

Some of Gary Mayor Rudy Clay's top contributors:

1. Baker & Daniels LLP $4,000

2. Prewitt Construction Inc. $3,000

3. Robinson Engineering $3,000

4. Day's Asphalt Paving $3,000

5. Luci Horton $2,500

6. Environmental Forensic, Inc. $2,500

7. Zelmer Williams $2,000

8. Gary Jet Center $2,000

9. Joseph Wade $2,000

10. Levinson & Levinson $2,000