Judge allows local minimum wages

Madison's minimum wage, higher than that set by state statute, has been held not in violation of the state constitution.

"A municipality's power to enact ordinances for the welfare of its citizens is broad, even in matters of statewide concern," [Dane County] Circuit Court Judge Maryann Sumi wrote in her opinion. "Madison's living-wage ordinance is valid."

The statewide concern restriction is in Article XI, Section 3(1) of the Wisconsin Constitution.

Cities and villages organized pursuant to state law may determine their local affairs and government, subject only to this constitution and to such enactments of the legislature of statewide concern as with uniformity shall affect every city or every village. ...

Given that consitutional restriction, I wouldn't expect such ordinances to stand. An appeal looks certain, so we'll see.