A week after a partial suspension of state taxes on per-gallon gasoline purchases took effect in New York, some lawmakers are pushing for further action. 

And they are looking to Congress and local governments to do it. 

"My colleagues and I in the state Legislature suspended the state sales tax to help reduce the price of gas but as prices continue to rise, more needs to be done to lower gas prices," said Assemblyman Billy Jones, a Democrat from the North Country region. "We have done all that we can on the state level, and I will continue to work with our federal representatives and local leaders to provide more relief at the pumps."

New York lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul in the April budget agreement backed a 16-cent suspension of state gas taxes that began June 1 and will run until the end of the year. The move comes as the per-gallon cost of gasoline has steadily increased over the last several weeks. 

The average per gallon price now stands at $4.94, an increase of nearly 50 cents from a month ago, according to AAA. High gas prices are already expected to be a key issue for candidates and challengers this election season. 

Jones' statement came after state Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara also called last week for congressional action on the issue. The federal gas tax amounts to about 18.4 cents a gallon.

"Americans are now facing the highest gas costs in eight years and many other states across the country have now already or are working to rolling back their own gas taxes," he wrote in a letter to congressional lawmakers. "However, the federal gas tax is something they cannot control, but it can have a significant cumulative impact when you consider these other measures now in place."