We talked in the previous post about “Lavisms” – persistent misrepresentations made by anti-taxpayer hit-woman Iris Lav of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Here’s another Lavism and it’s a beaut: that kids in Colorado don’t get their childhood immunization because of TABOR. Yes, she actually maintains that kids don’t get their shots because of TABOR and that Colorado supposedly ranks near last in childhood immunizations.
This claim, however, is based on a willful misinterpretation of something called the National Immunization Survey, which is a telephone survey of the immunization status of children under age 3. Estimates of coverage rates in states with relatively small populations are estimated from small samples and are subject to error. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control note the possibility of error in the information they publish with the surveys. In 2002, the point estimate of coverage for Colorado for a couple of the vaccine series was lower than any other state, hence the Lavism.
When the errors caused by the small survey sample were considered, it was likely that Colorado had immunization rates that were similar to other states like it. As one would expect if mere statistical variation caused the low ranking, more recent immunization data put Colorado nowhere near the bottom. Little evidence exists to show that Colorado’s population health is affected by TABOR.
Now, I suppose one could quibble on this or that detail. But look at the big picture in Colorado. On most health surveys Colorado’s population does quite well, enjoying relatively low rates of Medicaid enrollment, disability, and obesity.
And as we’ll see, Colorado has just about the lowest use of food stamps in the country – unlike Maine, which is just about the highest.
But, never let the facts get in the way of a good Lavism.
For more information about the Maine Taxpayer Bill of Rights, please visit the TABORNOW website
