歌词
From VOA Learning English,
这里是VOA英语学习
this is the Economics Report.
之《经济报道》。
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing
底特律市长Dave Bing
had to report some bad news last month.
上个月公布了几条坏消息。
He said Detroit was seeking bankruptcy protection.
他称，底特律正在申请破产保护，
The move would give the city
这一行动让底特律能从债权人那里
court protection from creditors.
得到法院的保护。
"This is very difficult for all of us
“对我们所有人来说，这件事非常棘手，
but if it's going to make the citizens better off,
但只要这项举措能改善市民们的经济状况，
then this is a new start for us."
这就是我们重获新生的开始。”
The decision to declare bankruptcy
申请破产这一举措，
is an offer to restruction and reduce debt.
正是政府为了振兴经济和还清债务作出的努力。
It comes at a difficult time for Detroit.
受正处困境的底特律的呼声，它出台了。
In March, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder named Kevyn Orr,
三月，密歇根州长Rick Snyder任命Kevyn Orr，
a bankruptcy expert to oversee the city's financial problems.
一位了解破产方面的专家去审核底特律的金融问题。
Detroit has been struggling to reduce a budget deficit of
底特律一直以来致力于减少
more than $300 million.
超过3亿美元的财政赤字。
In addtion, the city's long-term debt
此外，底特律的长期债务
has increased to at least $18 billion.
已经上升到了至少180亿美元。
Detroit's problems have grown over many years.
底特律在数年的时间里已经积重难返。
Michigan State University professor Eric Scorsone says
密歇根州立大学的一位教师Eric Scorsone分析，
the city depended to much on one-industry.
这座城市过分依赖了单一的产业。
"You know, Unlike Chicago, New York
“你也知道，纽约之类的城市不像芝加哥，
and other cities where had more economic diversity,
它们更有经济多样性。
Detroit really didn't.
底特律就不具有这样的特点。
It had the auto industry,
它曾有繁荣的汽车产业，
it had suppliers to the auto industry,
也有庞大的汽车供应厂商。
and so as those went away,
然而那些都过时了，
the city began a very long decline
底特律开始走一段非常漫长的下坡路。
that's really occurred over 50 years essentially."
实际上，它可能会走50年。”
Jobs with car manufactures were a big reason why Detroit
半个世纪前，底特律之所以成为全国最大城市之一，
was one of the country's largest cities half a centry ago.
正是因为汽车制造业创造了大量工作机会。
In the 1950s, it had a population of about 1.8 million people.
上世纪50年代，底特律大约有180万人口。
Today, the number is down to less than 800,000.
如今，人口却下降至不到80万。
Robin Boyle is a professor of urban planning
Robin Boyle是韦恩州立大学的一位
at Wayne State University.
城市规划的专家。
He says over the years, many Detroit residents
他说，多年以来，许多底特律的长期居民
moved to areas outside the city, or even left the state.
都搬出了这座城市，甚至离开了底特律所在的密歇根州。
That hurt Detroit's ability to invest in the city.
这削弱了底特律投资振兴自己的能力。
"They have so little disposable income to reinvest in their communities,
“那些居民没有多少可以自由支配的资金去重建自己所处的社区。
that if they have money they leave,
只要凑够了钱，他们就搬走，
they go to the suburbs or they go to find work elsewhere,
他们去了郊区或别的地方找工作。
further putting us into this vicious cycle
久而久之，这就造成了一个恶循环，
that drives us further and further down.
我们离底特律的振兴就越来越遥远。
How you break that is the challenge in Detroit."
如何打破这个循环就是底特律正在面临的挑战。”
It is rare for a large city to seek bankruptcy protection.
对这样的大城市来说，申请破产保护是很罕见的。
In 1975, New York City came close
1975年，纽约市也险些申请，
before the federal government agree to provide money.
所幸联邦政府同意批给它资金。
Detroit, however, is the largest city to seek bankruptcy.
在申请破产保护的城市中，底特律是最大的一座城市。
A federal judge will consider Detroit's request.
一位美国联邦法官称会考虑底特律的请求。
The judge's decision is expected in one to three month.
他会在一到三个月内给出决策。
One of the main issues is what to do
还有一个亟待解决的主要问题是
about the retirement pay of city workers.
关于底特律工人们的退休金。
Currently, there are many more retired workers
当前，退休工人的数量
than those pay into the pension system.
远远超过了那些为养老金制度缴税的人的数量。
And that's the Economics Report in VOA Learning English.
以上就是VOA英语学习之《经济报道》。
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