It's 10-12 grand because politicians/municipal employees are involved.  You are right, it should be less than 1 grand.  Just like with the silly TajMahawker study commissioned by the legislature that "justified" the fantasy of its worth.  That "analysis" was $30,000 when it was worth $30 dollars.  Only government employees can come up with those obscenely huge numbers to scam the tax payers with.