It can’t be a good sign when the governor announces he will travel across the country to support the state’s most popular football team and the first question asked is whether he will be paying his own way.

But such is the case for Gov. Chet Culver, as he had to make a point of saying he, and not the taxpayers, will be paying for his trip to Tampa to support the Iowa Hawkeye football team when they take on South Carolina in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day.

“I’m paying, it’s not state,” Culver said [Monday]. “I’m staying at a hotel with the University of Iowa people and I’m paying for that, too. Won’t be using any other place to stay down there.”

Culver has been criticized several times in the past for staying at the million-dollar Florida penthouse of his biggest campaign contributor, Des Moines real estate developer Bill Knapp. While he said he always paid for his family’s stay at Knapp’s condominium, there were questions whether he paid market value.

Knapp served as co-chair of Culver’s 2006 bid for governor and donated more than $110,000 to the campaign. He has since given $25,000 to Culver’s 2010 re-election campaign. While staying at the home (and paying nearly $2,000 less than market value for it) is not illegal, it does tip toe toward the appearance of impropriety. Iowa law says public officials in Iowa should be “extremely cautious” about accepting gratuities or favors from anyone who has an interest in the legislative or political actions of that official.

Few would argue that Knapp qualifies as someone with an interest in legislative actions.

But a new year offers the chance of a new beginning, and Culver is apparently eager to put even the hint of bad behavior behind him.