Some lawmakers say the mansion expenses should get a closer look.

"The budget committee has never looked at the mansion's costs, and there seems to be little oversight there. So it might be worth seeking some kind of management audit," said Rep. Jim Wayne, D-Louisville.

An analysis of state records by the Louisville Courier-Journal estimated the mansion cost at least $840,000 to operate between June 1, 2003, and May 30, 2004. The costs included salaries for a staff of 13 full-time employees, among them three chefs and seven housekeepers. Other expenses included $16,723 to paint part of the second-floor living quarters, $2,198 for a new TempurPedic king-size mattress and five new toilets costing $2,611, $1,650 for a hot-water filter, and $1,104 for a purchase from Pottery Barn.

Rep. Steve Nunn, a Republican from Glasgow who lived in the mansion while his father Louie Nunn was governor from 1967-71, said three chefs sounds appropriate, but questioned the number of housekeepers.

"Lord have mercy," he said.

Rep. Harry Moberly, D-Richmond, said he is unsure whether the mansion's staff is too large.

"If there are questions raised, or if we hear of abuse, we have budgetary oversight authority to find out what we would want to know," said Moberly, chairman of the House budget committee. "We haven't looked at the Governor's Mansion in recent times, but we looked at the overall Governor's Office staff and funded what we believed to be reasonable."

Gov. Ernie Fletcher said he would never make an inappropriate spending request, and he defended the mansion's expenses and level of oversight.

"I think you're duly elected by the people of Kentucky to oversee things in Kentucky, and it's the electorate that I'm accountable to," he said. "Somebody could be extravagant, but that will all be in public records."

Fletcher's predecessor, Paul Patton, said the mansion expense is large, but worth it to taxpayers.

"The people spend a tremendous amount on the governor. It's millions of dollars," Patton said. "There's a lot of stress and a lot of disadvantages to the job. The mansion is one of those perks that sort of balances all of that stuff and helps the governor and his family do the job better, and it helps maintain the influence of the governor by maintaining the prestige of the office."