Gov. Mark Dayton on Tuesday vetoed the Republican Legislature’s effort to stop cities from requiring employers to offer paid time off or a $15-an-hour minimum wage.

“The role of state government is to set minimum standards for workplace protections, wages and benefits, not maximums,” the Democratic governor wrote in his veto letter.

Both St. Paul and Minneapolis have mandates set to take effect this summer that require private employers in their cities to offer paid time off to workers. Both cities’ leaders are also considering $15-an-hour minimum wage rules. The state’s minimum wage is now set for $9.50 an hour.

The Legislature tried to sweeten the measure, known as pre-emption or uniform labor standards, with provisions Dayton and many Democrats liked. Among those provisions: changes to public employee pensions and legislation to address the chronic underpayment of workers. Related Articles Early voting begins in Minnesota: Things to know.

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Lawmakers also attached language that would continue a new policy of allowing state workers paid parental leaves. In a letter, backed up by a letter from Minnesota Management and Budget commissioner Myron Frans, Dayton said that leave policy would stand despite the veto.

Curtailing cities’ ability to set their own labor rules, like paid time off and minimum wage hikes, was a top priority of the Republican Legislature and business interests, like the powerful Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

Supporters said without a state law banning cities from labor actions, businesses may have to cope with hundreds of different labor rules across all the cities in Minnesota.