As the owner of a decent sized message board, I think it's ridiculous that a forum -- even the size of Catholic Answers -- needs that kind of money.
Why do they have "employees" anyhow? They should rely on volunteers.
(As an aside, I don't know how much Vox is asking for.)
Trads are used to the concept of having volunteer moderators -- apparently in the Novus Ordo world, all jobs are commonly paid. I guess that's to be expected when there's plenty of people and plenty of money sloshing around.
At our SSPX chapel, virtually all the jobs are done by volunteers. But those same jobs in the local diocese? All professional, hired out, paid positions.