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本帖最后由 爱城闲人 于 2014-12-9 20:36 编辑 4 Z N' d' @: p9 c/ C
- x0 \* V% D, M! M& w# APremier Says Low Oil Prices Could Leave Hole in Provincial Budget* s9 g' X9 }5 |( {7 d
Tuesday, December 09, 2014 - Economy, Infrastructure, Oil, H# T7 `: D# O7 q% q1 h2 R
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The price of oil hovered around $63 US/barrel Tuesday after one of its worst days in years Tuesday.- [' B O8 ]- G6 x( Q9 [
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And Premier Jim Prentice says low prices could leave a $7 billion hole in the province’s budget.
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& F- l1 }$ `* c+ d$ I, JPrentice gave his “State of the Province” speech to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Tuesday.' a* \5 U* s5 m1 e/ K: b/ X
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Two weeks ago, the Premier said the government expected oil prices to end the year between $65 US/barrel and $75 US/barrel. At that time he said low prices would have “consequences for all Albertans.”
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Now, with prices lower than $65 US/barrel, Prentice says low prices could leave a $6-$7 billion hole in Alberta’s $40 billion budget.% R$ j2 h6 I8 k% x4 e1 B
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Prentice says the government will have to reduce spending if low prices are sustained. He says across-the-board cuts in spending won’t happen, instead Prentice says his government will focus on core services and limit spending below the rate of growth, plus inflation.
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“It is incumbent on us to adjust our expectations and adjust our spending to begin to mitigate these risks for the long-term. And the solution cannot be to simply wait for the next upswing in prices,” he says.
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: C5 G; D5 Y- A) A _/ r4 KTuesday’s comments come days after a Morgan Stanley report said crude oil prices could drop to $43 US/barrel in 2015 before rebounding.
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+ J3 N% J" J, p" w: y( f2 }% S. W/ ?Last year’s provincial budget was based on a forecasted price of $95 US/barrel.0 _* Y; `2 Y. T+ A. j
$ K4 y0 w3 b6 G0 Y8 I+ `; W2 [Prentice says future budgets will rely on much more conservative price estimates.
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“In the long-term, a budget that is tied to to volatile energy prices year-in, year-out represents a significant risk.”9 C- h& v, O% h$ C% O
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Prentice also says the government is not considering a provincial sales tax to cover possible shortfalls from low oil prices.
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楼主: 辽宁好汉
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发表于 2014-12-9 15:59
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