There is no such thing as a free lunch; if you want a government backed monopoly on something you can surely bet it will have to cost you X. Whether X is a figure that is too much for you is a free market decision you will have to make.
Is a few thousand a year too much for a limited government backed monopoly on a name? I would say no.
I would also like to point out that I haven't discounted the social benefit of trademarks, but the registrant pays model is probably the best practical model.
I would definitely agree that there is a social benefit to trademarks (much more significant than that of patents or copyrights).
I don't think I object to the cost in the general sense, from the registrant's perspective. But from the other side, the registries have the potential to make a decent chunk of change off this, which really feels like they're making money not for providing a useful service, but by exploiting features of trademark law. It just feels a little dirty to me.
So pay us, or... pay us? Those are the two options?