The money gap in Sandy's mayoral race widened - again.

In this round, though, three-term Mayor Tom Dolan increased his funding edge only slightly over challenger Gary Forbush.

This week's financial disclosures show the incumbent received an $8,000 infusion to his already-hefty war chest in the past month. During the same time frame, Forbush collected $6,923.

But the totals are telling: Dolan has amassed more than $75,000 to Forbush's barely $10,000. The incumbent has more than $41,000 on hand to pay for mailers between now and Election Day. His rival has less than $6,000.

Where did the recent donations come from?

Forbush's biggest contributors have ties to the Sandy Mall. It's a shopping center at 9400 South and 700 East that could see a drop in business if voters OK a referendum on the gravel pit and allow big-box and small retailers to build on the 107-acre lot.

John Milliken, owner of the Sandy Mall, gave Forbush $2,000. The Sandy Mall Merchants Association kicked in $1,000 and another $1,000 came from Roy Ostendorff, who owns a ski shop in the shopping center. Ostendorff gave Forbush another $1,000 earlier this year.

Forbush opposes the development plan for the gravel pit. Dolan supports it.

The largest recent contributions for Dolan came in $1,000 increments. Donors included Sen. Orrin Hatch, Anderson Development and other private companies.

Dolan also received $500 each from Mike Gibbons and William Gibbons, owners of the out-of-use gravel pit. Earlier, he had received $1,000 from The Boyer Co., the Salt Lake City developer that wants to build on the pit.