The city council today voted to increase the minimum wage in Minneapolis to $15 an hour with full phase-in citywide by 2024. It comes after efforts at the legislature nearly short-circuited it. One of the most controversial bills of the session would have made it illegal for any city, county or township to set its minimum wage higher than the state level. Republican backers warned a patchwork of inconsistent local regulations will keep businesses from expanding in Minnesota. Governor Mark Dayton was leery of the bill right from the start, but that solidified into a veto threat toward the end of session, with Republicans agreeing to remove the measure from a budget bill and send it to Dayton as separate legislation — which he vetoed.