This topic started out asking the question, where are all the A&P's?
As I read the various comments here, the true reason is that GA maintenance is a losing proposition. The good guys just move right on out of it, to jobs with decent money and prospects. If that $23K quote is accurate, these guys are paying slave wages!
So back to the initial question, where are all the A&P's? They have real jobs, paying real money, with decent benefits, in the location of their choice. There is no shortage of employment opportunity here, but there are a dearth of jobs which do not adequately compensate for the skills, productivity and experience they require!