Hey FLL: How did you get a FREE subscription to the Concord Monitor? (or who paid for the subscription for you?)
One thing that helps most minimum wage workers in New Hampshire is a higher take home pay because of the lack of a state income tax. Also, that take home pay may result in more spending power because there is no sales tax. And, if they own a car, New Hampshire car insurance is about half of what it is in most other states.
The minimum wage is not enough to support a family, nor should it be. Business owners can hire entry level workers at this rate and raise wages as the employee learns skills and contributes more to the success of the business. Any business would be foolish if they did not raise wages accordingly to retain good help. That is especially true now with the economy strong and good, hard working, employees becoming harder to find.