HOUSTON - Houston Mayor Annise Parker said she'll be reducing the number of take-home vehicles assigned to city employees in an effort to save $21 million in the municipal budget over the next two years. A Houston Chronicle analysis showed hundreds of municipal employees use City fleet cars more for commuting to work than they do for job duties.

According to mileage reports filed for 1,200 vehicles assigned to city employees, only 54 percent of the total mileage reported was work-related.

None of the employees is accused of wrongdoing, but instead are part of a system often immune to strict enforcement and consistent regulations, reported the newspaper.

Maintenance and fuel for take-home cars cost Houston taxpayers $4 million last year. City employees assigned with take-home cars used more than 750,000 gallons of gas in 2009, and $10 million has been spent since 2007 to purchase new cars.

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