PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The fight over school funding has cost Providence and the state-run school district more than $715,500 in legal fees, equivalent to about 5% of the settlement reached Friday. The two sides for years have fought over how much the city should be contributing to the failing school district that's been under the control of the R.I. Department of Education since 2019. The fight ended Friday with a $15 million settlement agreement following a judge's decision to side with the district agreement that the city needed to pay more for education costs. Even before the legal arguments ramped up over the past two weeks, the city and district had paid at least $715,500 to private firms representing both sides in the dispute, according to invoices reviewed by Target 12. As of Oct. 28, Providence had paid a combined $560,000 to Shechtman Haperin Savage LLP and Savage Law Partners LLP since since 2020, according to the records. (The latter firm is representing Gov. Dan McKee's administration in the Washington Bridge lawsuit.) The district, meanwhile, had spent $155,000 for Adler Pollock and Sheehan PC from August 2021 through Oct. 24 of this year, according to the records. Education Department spokesperson Victor Morente said the state didn't have its own legal fees associated with the dispute. Following the judge's order, Providence agreed to pay the district $4 million for last fiscal year and $11 million for the current one. Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said the unexpected cost will require him to seek permission from state lawmakers to raise city taxes beyond the 4% cap that municipalities are supposed to stay below each year. Eli Sherman ([email protected]) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW