Commissioner Tony Bennett is opting to increase his contribution to the Austin downtown flower baskets, so Mower County doesn’t have to.

In lieu of the county giving to Austin’s annual flower basket program, Bennett decided to pay the county’s $100 contribution out of his own pocket starting a few years ago.

While running for election in 2010, Bennett said many people told him they didn’t like the county using public funds to support a program they felt should be voluntarily funded by individuals.

Since the 2016 flower basket donation drive is currently $9,450 short of its goal, the county board briefly talked Tuesday about giving county funds to the program this year. However, Bennett said he’d up his contribution to $200 and other commissioners could chip in if they choose.

The flower program funds the 240 baskets downtown and public flower beds around Austin during the summer. The program receives $10,000 from both the city and Hormel Foods Corp.

Thus far it’s received $10,550 from individuals, leaving the drive $9,450 short of its $40,000 2016 goal.