Gas price averages around the nation

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - It has been said over and over, but it seems that Western New Yorkers are always paying more than the national average for a gallon of gas.

By now, people have seemingly become numb to the prices.

Across the country, California drivers are averaging $3.52 a gallon, Alaskans are paying $3.57, in Connecticut the average is $3.66. But in New York, we're looking at $3.72 on average, second only to Hawaii where people are filling up for $3.96. A sharp comparison to the cheapest state of Missouri where drivers are paying only $2.96 a gallon.

But why does that continue to happen?

According to AAA, we struggle to lower our prices because of all of our taxes.

Steve Pacer from AAA of western New York, "New York is one of only a handful of states that pays sales tax on top of gasoline tax. When you throw in federal taxes, we really pay about 50 cents on average more than the national average."

Last year Senator Charles Schumer announced an investigation into possible price fixing.

"I think if tomorrow the FTC simply announced they were simply looking into the refining capacity, my guess is the price would go down within the next week," said Schumer.

Two months later, gas prices edged close to $4 a gallon.

In February of this year, Schumer called on Saudi Arabia to increase oil production to make up for the loss of production in Iran.

By April, prices did go over $4.

What happened to that investigation? According to AAA, Schumer's office did not find any price fixing or collusion between companies.