The high prices at the pumps are putting the squeeze on our government, too. Elected leaders are responding by reducing miles and downsizing vehicles in their fleets. But what are the leaders themselves driving?

Our 5 On Your Side investigation took a look at the top 3 elected leaders in the state of Ohio. All of them are known for being aggressive about making tough cuts.

Gov. Ted Strickland, for example, ordered the state to downsize its fleet. Ohio's fleet of larger sedans is now being replaced by smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, even hybrids.

So NewsChannel5 wanted to know: what vehicle does the governor use?

Strickland's official vehicle is a 2008 Chevrolet Suburban. As a taxpayer, you helped pay for it, and it gets 14 miles per gallon. With the prices at the pump right now, just one fill-up of regular unleaded will cost $127.

Chief investigator Duane Pohlman asked the governor why he hasn't downsized.

"Well, I'm not into symbolic measures," the governor said.

But this SUV is a giant, especially compared to the smaller cars he ordered state workers to use.

"Is there anytime soon that we'll see the governor in a Focus?" Pohlman asked.

Strickland insisted he needs his roomy SUV.

"I've got five people in here today and a lot of equipment. Safety equipment," the governor said.

And while the Suburban is equipped to take E85 flex-fuel -- the new 85 percent ethanol blend -- there are still few places to buy that type of fuel.

The speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Jon Husted, is serious about cutting the cost of fuel too.

"We want to reduce our reliance on foreign sources of energy," Husted said.

But the Speaker still drives to appointments in this state-owned 2006 Ford Explorer, which gets 13 miles per gallon in the city. That's $92 a fill-up.

Lawmakers also use a Ford Expedition and a Crown Victoria. The Expedition gets just 12 miles per gallon costing $106 for a fill-up, and it costs $78 per tank to fill up the Crown Victoria, which gets 16 miles per gallon.

Pohlman said, "Those are not energy-efficient cars. Why do you have those?"

"We've had them for years," Husted responded. "We only have three automobiles."

Husted, a fiscal conservative, isn't about to get rid of them anytime soon.

"We don't have it in our budget to purchase a new automobile," Husted said.

Finally, there's Sen George Voinovich. For years he's been a staunch supporter of public transit and an outspoken critic of America's dependence on oil.

"We are going to be oil independent," the senator said.

Two weeks ago, Voinovich arrived at a downtown event in a Ford Fusion, which gets 20 city miles per gallon. But the Fusion isn't the senator's. "No," Voinovich said. "I still have my 2005 Ford Taurus station wagon."

His Taurus wagon gets on average 17 miles per gallon in the city. That means it would cost more than $73 to fill up a tank.

Not one of these top 3 elected officials drives a hybrid, or even an economy car.

Instead, Voinovich says he's added a device to get better mileage out of that Taurus. Husted says he has cut the miles driven on those big SUVs.

And after NewsChannel5 asked questions, Strickland announced, for the first time, he is "exploring the possibility" of getting a hybrid.