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本帖最后由 爱城闲人 于 2014-12-9 20:36 编辑 $ j2 q: E2 l0 d6 G+ K: C$ p8 T
& x6 y8 ^1 O0 t- I1 NPremier Says Low Oil Prices Could Leave Hole in Provincial Budget2 H# S, |- r E
Tuesday, December 09, 2014 - Economy, Infrastructure, Oil, f8 H* f+ Z6 u/ E
7 _+ p# h2 C* I+ `7 E6 d8 g! VThe price of oil hovered around $63 US/barrel Tuesday after one of its worst days in years Tuesday.1 I! V- h* u$ `2 F* W, O9 X- I
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And Premier Jim Prentice says low prices could leave a $7 billion hole in the province’s budget." g6 R2 q8 ]) }1 D! U3 F j
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Prentice gave his “State of the Province” speech to the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Tuesday.4 f' ?0 }& L' V$ N4 [1 S
" V3 Y% [9 j# o' Q+ U& yTwo 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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- c/ U' h1 j3 K( Q9 g) |' i8 ENow, 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.7 j' [+ ?' T. r
, H- j. g5 Y: T“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.' ?; \$ A& I" V; g! A
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Tuesday’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 $95 US/barrel.
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( V1 i# P3 x8 g, h1 I" T& W) lPrentice says future budgets will rely on much more conservative price estimates.
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1 s2 J& b( I0 l% y K$ u2 |“In the long-term, a budget that is tied to to volatile energy prices year-in, year-out represents a significant risk.”# H$ R8 `8 K. {3 J2 K8 j) _. n& s# p
# m& I8 w' V6 x8 A& H `Prentice also says the government is not considering a provincial sales tax to cover possible shortfalls from low oil prices.0 g( ~/ i( K$ ]/ y
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楼主: 辽宁好汉
狗仔卡
发表于 2014-12-9 15:59
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