I just paid an $85 entry fee for a USAT duathlon. I thought it was pricey, but the IS a significant race on the calendar (it's written up in the annual race-calenders for IT and Triathlete mags).

On the other hand, there was a new local sprint tri this month that I passed up because of price. $75 just seemed too high for a reverse-sprint with a 150m pool swim. Even as a season prep, it wasn't close enought to USAT race conditions to merit that price. I feel your pain.