Topeka — Facing a revenue crisis, legislators frequently bemoan growth of spending in state agencies, but they have to look no further than their own spending to see large increases in appropriations.

On Monday, legislative leaders met to discuss the Legislature’s budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

The Legislature’s operating expenditures have increased from $11.9 million in fiscal year 2002 to $16.9 million in 2009. That’s a 41 percent increase.

For the fiscal year that starts July 1, the Legislature has requested $17.8 million, while Gov. Mark Parkinson has recommended $16.1 million.

Much of the increase in the next fiscal year’s budget request is due to costs associated with redistricting, the once-a-decade process of redrawing legislative and congressional boundaries.

And departments that support the Legislature have had double-digit percentage growth since 2002. For example, the budget of the Legislative Research Department, which provides research and fiscal analysis for the Legislature, has grown from $2.4 million in 2002 to $3.3 million. That’s a 42 percent increase.

On Monday, legislative staff said they would consider holding vacancies open, unpaid leaves, possible layoffs and other ways to reduce expenses.

Legislators also said they wanted to determine whether they really need to hire temporary, part-time workers to keep the legislators’ bill books up to date when all the bills are currently accessible online.