Just the Rules #25 is now posted by US Chess:
When did the “refundable” appeal cost go from $25 to $50??
The examples given of appeals to the USCF are a good reason why players should have a rule book with them at tournaments. I recall an event where in the final round I was the lowest rated in the point group. Rather being pair with the highest rated in the next point group, I was pair with my brother in stead.
Larry S. Cohen
Alphabetical pairings are an accepted variant. 
Alex Relyea
You keep bringing this case up, but from earlier discussions, apparently a player other than the lowest (such as the second-lowest) was paired down, because it made the colors work better in both score groups. This is a transposition which almost all TDs would endorse. It takes a super-strict constructionist such as yourself to claim that such a transposition is illegal.
It is unfortunate, however, that they paired you against your brother. Chances are they could have avoided this easily, with another minor transposition.
As to your original question, I think it’s been $50 for quite a while. I think there was even a proposal to raise it to $100, but it didn’t pass, or something like that. I hope it doesn’t get raised again. $50 is quite enough to discourage frivolous appeals.
Bill Smythe
Yes, it is more that I was paired with my brother than not being dropped down that seemed wrong.
Larry S. Cohen
Had you specifically requested not to be paired with your brother?
I always tried to honor such requests in the first half of the tournament, but in the second half I felt other pairing considerations were more important.
That was changed a few years back.
I think TDCC has been refunding the appeal cost somewhere around 60% to 80% of the time, with refunds given for some reasonable complaints even if the complaint was denied.
The change was passed at the 2014 Delegates Meeting, per ADM 14-42 (as amended). The motion provided that instead of a fixed, published amount, the Executive Director would have authority to set the rate, which had remained at $25 for many years. Soon after the motion passed, ED increased the amount to $50, which is where it is now.
– Hal Terrie