yeah, that's the best explanation for the situation. What strikes me is I feel there is a demand, so there could be businesses that compensate this by hiring people on. But I might just be off-base.

I mean, most places around here felt like $10/hr was too much for the entire 2000's and now the status quo opinion is that $15 is too little. Small businesses like little shops need to be paying $18/hr and they feel they can't afford that and the would be employees can't afford to work for less.

And $18 is shit too. $18/hr today feels like the equivalent of $9/hr in 2009. It's just barely get by money. It's live in a shithole and eat of a dumpster money.