North Carolina’s 13 U.S. House members spent almost $29,000 on snacks and bottled water during a six-month period, even while the state’s unemployment rate hovered in double digits, federal deficits loomed in the trillions of dollars, and the Dow struggled.

The expenses are a fraction of the $8.7 million that lawmakers spent to run their offices during the final quarter of 2009 and first quarter of 2010, according to official receipts.

The records, prepared by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House, give taxpayers a bird’s-eye view of how elected officials used their congressional allowances, which range as high as $1.9 million annually. Carolina Journal reported on expenses for the third quarter of 2009 in January.

Receipts show that Tar Heel congressmen paid their staffs $6.7 million total — including 15 staffers who make six figures — and spent $318,000 on traveling and $56,000 per month on district office rent. (Staff salary figures include compensation only for the three-month period.)

Reps. Sue Myrick, R-9th, Heath Shuler, D-11th, and Larry Kissell, D-8th, logged the most expenses in travel. Kissell’s office spent almost $6,000 on lodging in September and another $3,500 the following month.

The costs included travel for Kissell’s chief of staff, Susan Powell, who lives in the district and travels to Washington, D.C., said spokesman Christopher Shuler.

Five Tar Heel policymakers continued to lease cars at a total cost of $2,300 per month. Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-7th, leased two 2009 Chevrolet Malibus, one of them a hybrid. Myrick also leased a hybrid — a 2009 Honda Civic.

North Carolina’s delegation also combined to spend $314,000 on franked mail, which is delivered free of charge to encourage representatives to correspond with their constituents. Fourth District Democrat David Price spent the most, $103,781, on the mailing privileges.

Costs for the delegation:

• G.K. Butterfield, D-1st

Total office expense: $633,760.71
Staff compensation and benefits: $529,617.81
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Tonya Williams at $37,034.25 (4th quarter)
Travel: $26,304.79
Rent: $3,000 per month
Franked mail: $1,220.86
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $5,157.87

• Bob Etheridge, D-2nd

Total office expense: $638,213.04
Staff compensation and benefits: $503,679.37
Highest paid staffer: District Director Russell Swindell at $41,499.99 (4th quarter)
Travel: $21,833.50
Rent: $4,978.61 per month
Franked mail: $15,213.46
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $3,566.30

• Walter B. Jones, R-3rd

Total office expense: $690,727.23
Staff compensation and benefits: $556,000.52
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Glen Downs at $41,374.99 (4th quarter)
Travel: $8,668.58
Rent: $2,750.00 per month
Franked mail: $5,915.32
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $403.58

• David Price, D-4th

Total office expense: $848,856.36
Staff compensation and benefits: $553,394.25
Highest paid staffer: District Director William Mills at $32,250.01 (4th quarter)
Travel: $11,929.33
Rent: $6,064.27 per month
Franked mail: $103,781.70
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $2,362.23

• Virginia Foxx, R-5th

Total office expense: $475,120.62
Staff compensation and benefits: $350,413.45
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff William Poole at $35,249.99 (4th quarter)
Travel: $26,195.53
Rent: $3,484.20 per month
Franked mail: $1,817.43
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $601.84

• Howard Coble, R-6th

Total office expense: $660,452.66
Staff compensation and benefits: $542,580.97
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Edward McDonald at $42,102.75 (4th quarter)
Travel: $15,144.16
Rent: $6,670.83 per month
Franked mail: $6,429.09
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $537.29

• Mike McIntyre, D-7th

Total office expense: $669,856.05
Staff compensation and benefits: $576,436.05
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff/Press Secretary Dean Mitchell at $41,167.14 (4th quarter)
Travel: $16,442.59
Rent: $2,541.92 per month
Franked mail: $2,108.72
Automobile leases: $340.24 and $291.38 per month
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $3,425.60

• Larry Kissell, D-8th

Total office expense: $686,643.11
Staff compensation and benefits: $399,209.83
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Susan Powell at $27,500.01 (4th quarter)
Travel: $28,912.86
Rent: $4,800 per month
Franked mail: $86,859.28
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $4,037.15

• Sue Myrick, R-9th

Total office expense: $721,939.31
Staff compensation and benefits: $556,745.46
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Hal Weatherman at $38,140.99 (4th quarter)
Travel: $48,842.11
Rent: $7,938.58 per month
Franked mail: $4,056.33
Automobile leases: $586.00
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $1,516.95

• Patrick McHenry, R-10th

Total office expense: $708,126.01
Staff compensation and benefits: $515,798.88
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Parker Hamilton at $39,603.75 (4th quarter)
Travel: $19,676.96
Rent: $3,799.17
Franked mail: $63,249.16
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $1,758.33

• Heath Shuler, D-11th

Total office expense: $653,392.77
Staff compensation and benefits: $555,887.00
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Hayden Rogers at $40,333.34 (4th quarter)
Travel: $47,379.47
Rent: $400 per month
Franked mail: $2,052.94
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $2,303.68

• Mel Watt, D-12th

Total office expense: $626,447.61
Staff compensation and benefits: $517,868.71
Highest paid staffer: Chief of Staff Torre Jessup at $27,074.99 (4th quarter)
Travel: $25,805.43
Rent: $5,055.09 per month
Franked mail: $1,308.25
Automobile leases: $492.16
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $1,500.66

• Brad Miller, D-13th

Total office expense: $686,219.15
Staff compensation and benefits: $562,925.40
Highest paid staffer: District Director Pamela Kohl at $34,250.01 (4th quarter)
Travel: $21,580.40
Rent: $4,582.83 per month
Franked mail: $19,995.64
Automobile leases: $549.44
Food, beverages, and bottled water: $1,489.43

David N. Bass is an associate editor of Carolina Journal. Editorial Intern Sara Riggins contributed research to this story.