BIll:  The post I listed above computes on a percentage basis.  read it again.  Indeed expenses have gone up over the years..and guess what, the federal minimum wage has fallen badly behind the rate of inflation.  As a matter of fact, "trickle up" economic practice does work.  When low wage workers get a raise they spend it to improve their standard of living just a little.  The money immediately re-enters the economy and churns through it.....benefiting everyone.  Gary Crum