WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Gas prices are climbing across Western New York and drivers in the Northtowns say they’re feeling it every time they pull up to the pump.
At a Mobil gas station on the corner of Main Street and North Union, prices were sitting at $4.19 per gallon, a number many say is hard to ignore.
"I’m just wondering where is this going to end?" one driver said. "For now, $4.19 is a lot, but I’m hoping that we don’t get too much higher than that."
Others say the high prices aren’t limited to one station.
"I’m not super happy about it," another driver said. "I don’t normally come to this station, so I thought maybe it’s just high here, but I think it’s high everywhere."
For commuters like Kim, who travels from the Northtowns to Lewiston, those rising costs are adding up quickly.
That’s part of the reason why some state lawmakers are now pushing for relief through what’s known as a gas tax holiday.
WATCH: Drivers face rising gas prices as NY lawmakers debate a potential gas tax holiday
The measure would temporarily suspend certain taxes on fuel, lowering prices by a few cents per gallon and offering short-term relief to drivers.
"I think it’s a good short-term plan," Kim said. "But I think you need prices down for the long haul."
Still, not everyone is convinced the move would make a significant difference.
"It feels like maybe a drop in the bucket compared to what they could really be doing to help fix the situation," another driver said.
In a statement, New York State Senator Jeremy Zellner said New Yorkers are feeling the burden of rising fuel costs. While he supports a gas tax holiday as a temporary solution, he emphasized that long-term change must happen at the federal level.
That’s where the debate continues.
Governor Kathy Hochul has previously pushed back on the idea, pointing to the state’s past gas tax holiday. She says when taxes were suspended, companies raised their price, limiting how much relief consumers actually saw.
The governor has also pointed to the federal government, noting that nearly 20 cents per gallon comes from a federal gas tax and says broader, long-term relief would need to come from action at that level.
For now, as prices continue to climb, many drivers say they’re left waiting to see if any relief, state or federal, will make a real difference at the pump.
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