HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) - Pennsylvania is the only state with a split legislature, leaving House Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) negotiating a nearly $48 billion budget deal with Senate Appropriations Chairman Scott Martin (R-Lancaster/Berks).

The deal came together nearly two weeks after the deadline and was signed by Governor Josh Shapiro (D) late Thursday night in Harrisburg. The budget is nearly $2.5 billion more than last year's plan.

"There's just things we're obligated to pay," said Harris. "In addition to that, we've actually been very conservative in our projections and that has actually benefited us because year over year we've brought in more money than what we've actually projected."

Martin says until there are reforms or more economic output in the state, spending will continue to go in the same direction.

"As long as spending outpaces revenues, it's going to become a major, major issue as we move into the 2025-26 budget and the 26-27 budget. At the end of the day, we can't print more money."

A big winner in the budget was education after a court ruled the state was unconstitutionally funding schools.

"Consider this," said Governor Shapiro prior to signing the budget. "Sixty-five percent of all of this new money to our schools will be driven out under a new formula that drives those dollars into districts that need it most."

Harris said it was important to make sure the education funding got done now.

"You can't have economic development in a state that doesn't have an educated workforce. And if you don't have an educated workforce there will be economic development. That's why those investments in education were extremely important to have an educated workforce to have the economic development that we want to see in the state."