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本帖最后由 爱城闲人 于 2014-12-9 20:36 编辑
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Premier Says Low Oil Prices Could Leave Hole in Provincial Budget3 {. p m' h/ y2 @! q% g
Tuesday, December 09, 2014 - Economy, Infrastructure, Oil
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2 [, f% D' P' @, R- t- f3 OThe price of oil hovered around $63 US/barrel Tuesday after one of its worst days in years Tuesday.
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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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Prentice gave his “State of the Province” speech to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Tuesday.5 l/ Y! \% Q1 s, q& V( P
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Two weeks ago, the Premier said the government expected oil prices to end the year between $65 US/barrel and $75 US/barrel. At that time he said low prices would have “consequences for all Albertans.”
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( j \# [; f/ Y. F0 ?8 U$ `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.
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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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" R5 {, \* z, r# h0 [" ^: A+ h) H“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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6 j1 ?& N% J( N9 LTuesday’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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Last year’s provincial budget was based on a forecasted price of $95 US/barrel.
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Prentice says future budgets will rely on much more conservative price estimates.' {! ]3 n( M7 ~
( f1 n4 L! q* m“In the long-term, a budget that is tied to to volatile energy prices year-in, year-out represents a significant risk.”! f6 e$ E6 G: Q% p/ |/ m
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Prentice also says the government is not considering a provincial sales tax to cover possible shortfalls from low oil prices.7 l, x. s. o# Y
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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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