ST. PAUL -- Minnesota governor candidate state Rep. Erin Murphy suggests using money collected from online sales to be used to expand the state's high-speed internet broadband network.

The Democrat said that should provide more than $100 million a year for broadband. State officials expect $132 million to $206 million annually from new sales tax collections.

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The U.S. Supreme Court last month ruled that businesses not inside the state still must pay sales tax.

Broadband expansion has been a top greater Minnesota issue for years, but the state generally has appropriated far less than rural leaders say is needed.

"For too long, we have talked about the importance of broadband at the Capitol without the investment needed to address the scope of the challenge," Murphy said. "When I am governor, we will move forward with a strategic plan that will connect every Minnesotan with the high-speed internet they need to succeed."

More than 550,000 Minnesota homes do not have internet connections that meet the state's minimum speed standard.