"It costs me a ton of money to serve," said Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab. He is one of the most-traveled lawmakers, with a round trip from his home to Salt Lake City covering more than 600 miles. Noel uses his campaign account to pay for gasoline used to drive around his eight-county district. He receives periodic mileage reimbursements for travel to Salt Lake City. But he also uses his campaign fund for a variety of other expenditures that some could call personal.

For example, he spent $3,600 in partial rent for a Salt Lake apartment last year. He said he has previously stayed at the Little America Hotel, where a number of out-of-town legislators stay. They get a reduced, government-only rate. The state pays $90 a day for hotel stays.

But Noel's wife decided to come up to Salt Lake City for the 45-day general session, so he rented an apartment "so she could conduct her own work" in a more comfortable environment, he said.

Noel also uses campaign funds to pay for cleaning his suits and shirts. "You spend 12 or 14 hours a day in a suit and shirt (during the Legislature) and you get pretty stinky," he said.

Noel isn't alone in such spending. Some amounts paid by other legislators for dry cleaning or cleaning include $185 by Rep. Neal Hendrickson, D-West Valley; $72 by Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield; and $30 by Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns.

Legislators used at least $108,500 for travel, much of it outside of Utah to places such as China (by Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem), Vietnam (by Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara), Germany (Clark) and U.S. sites including Alaska; Orlando, Fla.; San Francisco; Nashville, Tenn.; San Diego, Calif.; Boston; Savannah, Ga.; Chicago; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.

Some legislators used campaign funds to pay for passports or visas, including Valentine; Sen. Brent Goodfellow, D-West Valley; and Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield.

Into the fast lane

Rep. Todd Kiser, R-Sandy, spent $70 on a freeway HOV-lane pass to allow him to travel alone in faster car-pool lanes.

"I got stuck in traffic a few years ago and missed some (legislative) meetings, so I bought the pass. It did help me get to the Capitol (faster), but I don't think I'll do that again."

Kiser is also among lawmakers who used campaign cash to buy clothing that they say is used in their public service.

"I got a new suit at the Mr. Mac sale — a pretty good price," said Kiser, who paid $169 for it. He also paid $90 for special legislative shirts from the Legislature's "Third House" operation.