SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois governor has signed a $46 billion budget plan that provides $1.8 billion in tax breaks and direct payments aimed at softening the blow of inflation, a plan Republicans derided as an election-year ploy.

The budget signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker for the fiscal year that starts July 1 also makes substantial investments in debt and savings backed by tax revenues virtually no one predicted a year ago amid a worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

With inflation nationally at about 7%, the highest in 45 years, Pritzker called for sales and gas tax adjustments and property tax rebates to save consumers $970 million.