Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Feb. 8, 2026

Former Larkspur mayor urges improved oversight for MCE

The Marin Independent Journal news team deserves congratulations for its ongoing reporting about MCE (formerly Marin Clean Energy) and the efforts by members of the MCE Board of Directors to improve oversight of the agency.

It is necessary and appropriate for the governing boards of agencies as well as private organizations to periodically review their governance systems and financial and audit procedures. MCE has done considerable work over the years as a community choice power aggregator. This is a good time to review and improve oversight and transparency at MCE.

As former mayor of Larkspur, I would like to thank those board members who have devoted enormous time and energy to build on and enhance the services of MCE.

— Joan Lubamersky, Larkspur

Striking Kaiser workers are asking for too much

As a newly enrolled patient in the Kaiser Permanente health care system, I was curious about the ongoing strike by the unions representing 31,000 workers. Their central claim — that they are “grossly underpaid” — warrants serious examination.

I compared Kaiser’s compensation across four major positions (registered nurses, nurse anesthetists, physician assistants and physical therapists) against two relevant regional competitors: MarinHealth and Sutter Health. Using publicly available data from employment websites, the analysis shows Kaiser’s pay is competitive with both competitors. There is no evidence Kaiser workers are underpaid relative to comparable positions in the local market.

However, there is a legitimate economic concern — on Kaiser’s side. The proposed 29.5% wage increase over 2.5 years (including automatic step increases) substantially exceeds inflation projections of 3% annually and creates an unsustainable burden on health care costs.

To offset this wage growth while controlling costs, Kaiser workers would need to achieve productivity improvements of roughly 7% annually. I suspect that is impossible. Hospital productivity has declined steadily since 2000, while the broader economy manages only 2% annual gains. Health care faces structural headwinds: treating sicker patients, administrative bloat and clinical underutilization.

The financial impact is manageable only because striking unions represent just 12.7% of Kaiser’s workforce — yielding an overall cost impact of 3.75%. But if other unions adopt similar demands, Kaiser’s break-even operating model becomes unsustainable. Read an in-depth analysis at bit.ly/4qY0EhI.

— Gaetan Lion, Mill Valley

Health provider should not authorize unnecessary tests

In a recently published letter to the editor, authors Amy Vance and Tanya Fredricks appear to criticize MarinHealth Medical Center officials for not providing routine trabecular bone score (TBS) tests while performing dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) measures for bone density.

As they describe the situation, smaller-framed women can appear to have low bone density on DEXA, and TBS would reveal if they have adequate bone strength despite this, and thus not need treatment.

As they describe matters, TBS is only necessary if initial results of DEXA suggest low bone density in them. In many it will not and they would not need the TBS. Why add an additional test if the procedure is unnecessary?

TBS might well be indicated routinely in taller subjects, as DEXA has been shown to overestimate the bone mineral density in them.

— Ernest B. Hook, San Rafael

Federal officers in Minneapolis appear to lack key training

I am concerned that the officers working for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and Border Patrol in the deportation raids in Minneapolis were not properly vetted. I saw a video of an officer on duty. He appears to have a lip full of tobacco and was wearing a torn cap. He was armed with what looked like clips for an automatic weapon and a window-breaking tool. Who authorized this person as a federal law enforcement agent?

It appears to me that they have abbreviated training and lack professional pride, esprit de corps and proper understanding of how to interact professionally with citizens. Who are they? Where did they come from? I worry they are mercenaries from somewhere else or recently released felons given some kind of deal.

We need to know more about them.

— Potter Wickware, Mill Valley