Franken changes position on the gas tax

DFL U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken says he no longer would consider supporting an increase in the federal gas tax.

Last year, Franken said he would not rule out a small increase in the gas tax to help pay for infrastructure improvements. However, that was in the wake of the I-35W bridge collapse, when gas was selling below $3 a gallon.

"Since then," Franken writes on his campaign Web site, "it's increased by nearly 50 percent, and Minnesotans are feeling the squeeze."

Franken now says he would vote against any federal gas tax increase.

"We need to take that option off the table and find another way to fund our infrastructure," Franken wrote on his campaign Web site.

Republican Sen. Norm Coleman has been consistently opposed to increasing the federal gas tax.

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