You would think that at $2.50 a pop ($5 if not exiting security in the connection), there would be no need to have segregated queues by status, because there shouldn't be any waiting.

$40,000 a year salary+benefits is $20 an hour. Let's say two security people per queue, that's $40 an hour. $2.50 will buy you 3.75 minutes of screening per passenger (lap babies excluded).

So, it's basically another tax.