Gov. Jim Doyle announced his opposition Friday to a $7.75 minimum wage proposal for the city of Madison.

He said it would not be helpful to “Balkanize” the state by dividing it into different wage zones. Doyle also said initiating a new statewide minimum wage, which is included in his economic plan, would be more beneficial.

“The governor thinks rather than forcing individual communities to [raise the minimum wage] on their own, it makes more sense for everyone to be on a statewide plan,” Dan Leistikow, a spokesman for Doyle, said.

Leistikow added that Doyle supports raising minimum wage, but a higher wage in Madison would underscore the governor’s economic plan.

“But he’s moving forward with the statewide minimum wage plan,” Leistikow said.

Doyle’s statement came after the Madison Fair Wage Campaign, a group whose goal is to obtain 12,853 valid signatures and put the minimum wage issue to a city referendum on the Feb. 17, 2004 ballot, finished its first week.

“I wish [Doyle] hadn’t commented on a local issue,” state Rep. Teresa Berceau, D-Madison and co-chair of the Madison Fair Wage Campaign, said.

Earlier in September, Doyle moved to implement a higher minimum wage in Wisconsin, increasing it to $6.80 an hour. Doyle ordered Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman to form a committee to consider raising the state minimum wage. The committee is expected to be named within the next two weeks and will include members representing employees, employers, state politicians and the public.

But supporters of the Madison wage proposal argue the amount would not be enough. Berceau said that businesses and housing are much more expensive in Madison, so raising the hourly wage to $7.75 would be reasonable.

“It’s a local matter and the statewide minimum wage would not meet the needs of Madison residents,” Berceau said. “Madison is different economically than other cities in the state.”

The campaign, begun by Ald. Austin King, District 8, Dane County Supervisor Tom Powell and activist Joe Lindstrom, found supporters among organized labor and some local and state politicians. However, it has received sharp criticisms from business groups.

“I would assume some people would support the governor,” Berceau said. “But there’s so much momentum and people supporting the campaign. I don’t think [Doyle’s opposition] will derail the campaign at all.”

If adopted, the Madison wage proposal would mean a 50 percent increase from the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. The proposed wage for tipped employees would increase by 82 percent over the federal minimum of $2.13 an hour.

The Madison wage campaign, which began a week ago, currently has 3,551 signatures.

“It’s doing very well,” Berceau said.

The campaign received another blow Monday when state Rep. Glen Grothman, R-West Bend, announced he would make a proposal that would stop Madison from deciding its own minimum wage. However, he could not be reached for comment.