(La Porte, IN) - If elected, a man running for mayor in La Porte is promising to donate half of his salary. allegedly to go to the best academic performers at La Porte High School as an incentive to work as hard as possible.

He said $10,000 would go to the valedictorian; $5,000 to the salutatorian and $2,000 apiece to the next top five finishers, with the students able to spend the money any way they want to.

“I think we should give our students at La Porte High School a reason to excel.  Reward them,” he said.

Zimmer, a Democrat, is challenging Republican incumbent Tom Dermody, who’s seeking re-election.

Zimmer, a retired electrician at Ford Motor Co., ran for mayor in 2007 and 2011 but lost each time in the primary to Kathy Chroback, who served as mayor for two separate terms.