Nothing says "I love you" on Valentine's Day at the state Capitol quite like a nice dinner with your spouse at an expensive restaurant. Paid for by utility, oil or cigarette lobbyists, of course.

Or perhaps a box of chocolates from a friendly Porsche/hotel industry representative. Or flowers from the guy who lobbies for the state's emergency medical services.

Valentine's Day is just another day at the statehouse, a day when bills are passed, secretaries get candy and flowers and lawmakers eat pricey meals paid for by lobbyists.

Last year lobbyists spent more than $16,000 on lawmakers and Capitol staffers on Valentine's Day. About $4,000 of that was spent on dinners for individual legislators or lawmakers and their spouses.

Georgia Power Co. lobbyist Scott Draper spent $464 on dinner for six lawmakers and five spouses at Alfredo's Italian Restaurant on Cheshire Bridge Road. Georgianne Brown Bearden, a lobbyist for the Georgia Optometric Association, spent $347 on five House members at Tringali's, an Italian restaurant downtown.

Wayne Reece, who represents insurance interests, Porsche cars and Intercontinental Hotels, gave out more than 20 boxes of chocolates to legislators, wives of lawmakers and legislative staffers. He also took some female lawmakers to dinner.

Caroline Holley, lobbyist for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, spent $286.29 on Wolfgang Puck Express lunches for House Appropriations Chairman Ben Harbin (R-Evans) and his subcommittee chairmen, including those working on health care funding.

Statehouse veterans say the Valentine's gifts flow a lot less freely than they did in the 1980s and 1990s.

But some lobbyists still make an effort to show their appreciation and friendship. "It's all about relationships, you know that," said John Thomas, who represents pawnbrokers, cigarette makers, loan companies and waste management companies.

Thomas has been around the Capitol for decades, and he remembers when his mother-in-law used to make candies that he and his daughter would take to statehouse secretaries. Last year on Valentine's Day, he took Reps. Jon Burns (R-Newington) and David Knight (R-Griffin) and their wives to dinner at the Peachtree Club in Midtown.

Draper, the Georgia Power lobbyist, has taken lawmakers to dinner on Valentine's Day for years. Last year he and his wife hosted leading lawmakers including House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons Island) and his wife and Senate President Pro-Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah).

"Valentine's Day is a special day at the Capitol," Draper said. "If we can do something to get the wives involved, we do it."

Draper said his wife has made candies and cookies for Capitol staffers to show his appreciation for their work.

Rep. Jimmy Pruett (R-Eastman) attended the dinner with the Drapers last year. Pruett said he and his wife were invited out again for this Valentine's Day by Draper. But because the General Assembly is off Friday, Pruett said he and his wife Casey are heading home.

"When you go out with the Drapers, it's not like going out with a lobbyist, it's like going out with friends," Pruett said. "They are good people and we enjoy spending time with them."

He said it's hard to plan anything big for Valentine's Day because it falls in the middle of the legislative session. His schedule can change from day to day.

"So the only thing you can plan is going out to dinner."

Not everyone thinks dinner with a lobbyist is a smart way to woo a loved one.

"The image in your mind is getting a table for three, which is just more horrific than anything I can imagine," said former longtime lawmaker Chuck Clay of Marietta. "No romance would be better than that pathetic attempt at romance."

Rep. Georganna Sinkfield (D-Atlanta), who has received more than a few Valentine's Day boxes of chocolates and candy in her 26 years in the Legislature, had much the same reaction.

"People have different views of Valentine's Day. My view is that it's special, for someone you love. You want to share it in a personal way."

Lobbyists have their own special ways to share the day.

Abit Massey, who has represented the Georgia Poultry Federation since 1961, hands out plastic eggs filled with candy to Capitol staffers. "It's a good chance to visit folks, remember Valentine's Day and give poultry a plug," he said.