Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin charged taxpayers a per diem for her meals and incidental expenses as governor but was a vocal critic of a similar perk for state legislators.

The Washington Post reported yesterday that, during the first half of 2007, Palin billed the state a "per diem" allowance while she was working from her Wasilla, Alaska, home and away from the state capital in Juneau. She later amended her expense reports so they no longer included the phrase "Lodging -- Own Residence," but still kept the alloted money.

Yet when it came to a historic special session of the state legislature in Anchorage this summer, Palin sharply questioned granting per diems to law makers who traveled to it from distant parts of the state.

The Anchorage Daily News reported that, in July, Palin spoke out against costs associated with the seven-hour special session 600 miles from Juneau held June 26. Each legislator was granted a per diem of between $208 and $278 to be used on meals and hotels during the session. Anchorage sits just south of Wasilla.