Scott Parker, chief of staff to Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, says his boss even goes the extra mile "and parks on the upper levels" so he will not tie up more convenient locations for days while he is in Washington.

Hatch is the only delegation member who also has free parking for two staff members (including one who recently left the staff.) Carr said they likely were given the privilege because they sometimes drive the senator to or from the airport.

All the members of the delegation say they appreciate the parking privilege. "It's a matter of convenience, but we would be happy to pay for it as well. It would just come out of our regular budget," Parker said.

Mary Jane Collipriest, press secretary to Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, said, however, that Bennett believes the free parking pass "is a better alternative than billing the taxpayer to reimburse him for his parking or having staff members drive him to and from the airport."

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, said the privilege is akin to "that of allowing congressional district staff to locate in a county courthouse or other government building that is taxpayer-funded," so he sees no problem with it for official use.

Mayor Rocky Anderson in the past created controversy as he acknowledged that he has used the privilege for personal travel. He declined comment for this story, including any comment about whether he continues to use it for personal travel.

But a story earlier this year disclosed that on May 6-13, Anderson, who has banned Salt Lake City employees from accepting any gifts as public employees, parked his car in short-term parking next to the terminal while he took a personal trip to New York City to watch his son graduate from college.

That would have generated a $152 parking bill for someone not on the free parking list.

Some City Council members acknowledge using the free parking on occasion for personal travel, too.

Carlton Christensen, who is on the City Council and airport board, said he has used it on rare occasions when his whole family traveled together. He said because he lives close to the airport, he usually has family members drop him off there when he travels.

City Council member Jill Remington Love said she has used it maybe twice for personal trips.

City Council member Dave Buhler said he has used it for personal trips, but the city may still have received a benefit. He said when he returned from a recent one-day trip to St. George, he "needed to hurry back to City Hall in time for a council meeting" and was aided by the close-in free parking he used.

He adds that the airport parking privilege may not be much different than the free parking council members receive at City Hall.