Westchester County Intergovernmental Affairs Committee Discusses Student Debt Forgiveness – July 14, 2026

The Intergovernmental Affairs Committee of the Westchester County Board of Legislators met on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, to discuss ways to improve county employees' access to student loan forgiveness programs. Chair Legislator Emiljana Ulaj presided; Legislators Imamura, Woodson-Samuels, and Williams were present, and Legislator Erica Pierce participated remotely. The meeting featured Tony Raffa, Director of Business Development Strategy at Savi, who presented the company's platform and the challenges facing public service borrowers. Acting Commissioner of Human Resources Gina D. Picinich also attended. The agenda listed a 3:00 p.m. start; the meeting was called to order at 3:06 p.m. in the transcript and 3:08 p.m. in the minutes, and adjourned at 3:45 p.m.

Discussion Items

• Tony Raffa presented on the student debt landscape, noting that 45 million Americans hold $1.7 trillion in student debt and that 63% of borrowers report difficulty making monthly payments. He described over 150 federal and state loan forgiveness programs that borrowers must navigate.
• Raffa explained that the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, passed by Congress in 2007, forgives remaining debt after 120 qualifying payments, not simply 10 years of service. Requirements include qualifying loan types, qualifying repayment plans, accurate employer certification, and full-time public employment averaging 30+ hours per week.
• Raffa reported that, according to the meeting minutes, only 8.4% of eligible public service workers apply for PSLF; among all applicants historically, only 5.48% have been approved, with about 26% of denials due to paperwork errors. He stated that Savi's system raises the acceptance rate to 99% for applications submitted through its platform.
• Raffa described Savi as a for-profit public benefits company, not a nonprofit. Savi offers free education and assessments, and charges an $80 per active user per year fee for its premium automation service. He said there are no setup fees, annual contracts, or other costs, and that counties may subsidize the cost or offer it as a voluntary employee-paid benefit.
• The platform includes a customized county microsite, automated PSLF employment verification forms, and a live dashboard for users and administrators. Raffa noted that Savi is available only through employers, not to the general public, because employer involvement helps ensure accurate paperwork.
• Raffa stated that on average, government employees using Savi save over $2,000 per year and find more than $40,000 in forgiveness. He cited Hennepin County, Minnesota, where employees on average find $44,000 in forgiveness.
• Acting Commissioner Picinich said the county currently has no data on how many employees carry student loan debt, but handles tuition reimbursement and verification. Raffa estimated that 35–40% of county employees are likely carrying student loan debt.
• Raffa discussed recent changes under the OBBB Act, including the end of the SAVE repayment plan. He said 7 million borrowers on SAVE have 90 days to switch plans, and noted a new repayment plan (RAP) that took effect July 1, 2026. He emphasized the importance of annual recertification and mentioned the PSLF buyback program for missed payments.
• Raffa shared a personal example: his wife's $250,000 medical school debt produced a $2,647 monthly payment; through repayment programs it was reduced to $261 per month, and she expects over $150,000 in forgiveness through PSLF.
• Legislator Pierce, who connected the committee with Raffa through the National Association of Counties, expressed support for the service ("You definitely have my endorsement").
• Chair Ulaj praised the service as "incredible" and noted it could help retain public sector employees.

Key Outcomes

• No formal vote was taken.
• Action items identified for further consideration: determine whether any additional costs exist beyond the $80-per-user fee; explore implementation options for county employees; evaluate whether the cost could be subsidized or offered as an optional employee-paid benefit; and gather data on how many county employees currently have student loan debt.
• Tony Raffa agreed to follow up with additional information, including which New York counties currently use Savi's services; he noted Savi works with NYU Langone Health and Memorial Sloan Kettering and with over 100 government entities nationally.
• Raffa offered to serve as a resource to the committee regardless of whether the county adopts Savi.