A property tax reassessment in LaPorte County means the city is operating on borrowed money.
LaPorte has not been able to collect property taxes for 2008, and the shortfall almost led to a city without Christmas lights.
On Friday, Mayor Kathy Chroback says she started getting phone calls about donations, and on Monday contractors like Rob Dhoore of S and T Bancroft Electric were out repairing the outlets.
"It was gonna be awful expensive to have all these repaired so the owners of our company, S and T Bancroft, decided to donate the material and labor to have the work done," said Dhoore.
The lights are expected to be put up sometime later this week by area Boy Scouts.