COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday he is open to considering a temporary suspension of Ohio’s gasoline tax if lawmakers can ensure the change does not drain funding for road and bridge work. No final proposal has been presented to him, and the tax remains in effect. DeWine had rejected a gas-tax pause in May, warning that lost revenue would jeopardize transportation projects. He said Monday that taking roughly $750 million from highway construction and maintenance would be “really devastating,” but added that he supports exploring a plan that replaces the money. “We’ll see what the legislation says and what the exact language is,” DeWine said. He also acknowledged the pressure on households, saying fuel costs are “really hurting families.” The debate is gaining urgency as prices climb. GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in central Ohio put the average price at $4.29 a gallon, up 30.8 cents from a month earlier and $1.41 from a year earlier. Prices topped $4.50 a gallon in the previous week, according to the report. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton called for a “gas tax holiday” last week, saying temporary relief could be offered without undermining infrastructure investment. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy proposed suspending Ohio’s 38.5-cent-per-gallon tax for 90 days and replenishing the revenue used for road and bridge repairs. DeWine said he had only been informed of Ramaswamy’s proposal Monday evening. He said a central question is who would ultimately pay to replace the lost revenue. Ohio lawmakers have been away from Columbus since the summer. For a measure to take effect immediately, the bill would need an emergency clause and approval by a two-thirds majority in each chamber. Any suspension would therefore require lawmakers to return to the issue and agree on both the tax break and its financing.