I have read Diana D'Autuono-DePalma's letter with great interest. She seems to be privileged to more information about the Hicksville School District's self-insurance program than most of the residents of Hicksville. Perhaps she could check with her source and get the answers to the following questions:

1. How much money did the district save (or lose) in the past three years by switching back and forth between the Empire Plan and the two self-insurance administrators - IGA and BPA?

2. When did the school board first learn of the $800,000 "under-funding" problem and what action was taken by Mr. Schwartz and the board to remedy the situation?

3. What is the total amount of the under-budgeting (to date) and how much of the total is attributable to IGA and how much to BPA?

4. Who brought IGA and BPA to the Hicksville School District?

5. What, if any, relationship exits between the insurance broker and any past or present district personnel and/or board member?

6. Is the broker the same individual who declined to answer questions, on the advice of counsel, as reported in Newsday on Saturday, March 6, 1999?

These are just a few of the many questions that I would like answered.

I would also like to respond to Mrs. Kabakoff's letter. I am a Medicare eligible retired civil servant who currently serves on the board of directors of my retiree association. The group I belong to is affiliated with the same coalition that includes the retired teaches and many other NY State retiree groups. I have personally traveled to Albany and lobbied in support of the coalition and its goals.

I fully understand why the president of the Association of Retired Hicksville School Employees would support Mr. Schwartz - "You never bite the hand that feeds you." However, because of all the unanswered questions surrounding the self-insurance matter, I feel that Mr. Schwartz and the board majority are not adequately serving the needs of the retirees or the taxpayers of Hicksville.

Thomas J. Walsh