Taxpayers shelled more than $77,000 for lodging and meals for one Brooklyn state senator — who was traveling on “legislative business,” The Post has learned.

Sen. Velmanette Montgomery racked up more per-diem expenses than any other New York state senator over a 3 1/2-year period, records show.

That’s 77 percent above average. And she’s not alone.

At least 10 senators ran up per-diem expenses that were 50 percent above the average of their colleagues from 2009-2012, a Post review found.

Lawmakers are entitled to $165 in per-diem expenses — $104 for lodging and $61 for meals.

Montgomery billed the state 26 times — including $1,250.85 for a seven-day stint in Albany from March 24-30 of last year, records show.

“I’m not talking to you about that. Bye,” Montgomery said when asked for comment.

Another big spender was Sen. Martin Dilan (D-Brooklyn), who billed the state for $75,022 in per-diem expenses — landing him third on the list at 73 percent above average.

Dilan defended the expenses as legitimate.

“There’s a good reason for this,” Dilan said. “I was co-chairman of the reapportionment committee. I was traveling to Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse.”

He said he didn’t file for overnight lodging or dining expenses if he attended hearings near his district — like Westchester or Long Island.

Sen. Diane Savino (D-SI) billed the state for $71,973, landing her in sixth place.

“I never put in anything I’m not entitled to,” Savino said. “It’s an insult.”

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office, which pays the per-diem bills, declined to comment on whether he’s probing abuses.

But Albany insiders said lawmakers provide little or no documentation to back up their expense claims.

“There’s a lot of talk of reform in Albany,” said one capital insider. “But this looks like the ‘same old, same old.’”