Chairman of Governor Dalrymple's 2012 Campaign Predicts Rig Count Down to 50 and 20,000 Jobs Lost By Summer
The fear factor of what will happen to North Dakota's economy is growing.
Jim Arthaud is a long time businessman from Belfield, ND and served as one of Governor Jack Dalrymple's campaign chairman in 2012.
Arthaud yesterday was featured on CNN predicting that the oil rig count in North Dakota would drop from the current level of 160 rigs, to 50 by June - and would result in a loss of 20,000 jobs.
Arthaud also told the Wall Street Journal in December: "If people aren’t worried, they are ignorant."
This is by far the most dire prediction of anyone in the oil business, but because of Arthaud's close relationship with Governor Dalrymple, it should not be dismissed immediately. Instead, we must wonder whether the prediction of the governor's closest associates in the oil business is playing a role in revising the governor's budget which is based on $75 dollar oil this year, and $85 oil the next two years.
Earlier in the session, the House Finance and Tax Committee heard testimony from Eugene Gra…
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