[cid:image002.jpg@01CAC135.06AE8AD0] [cid:image003.jpg@01CAC135.06AE8AD0] The 2010 Census questionnaire will be delivered to every household next week giving us an opportunity to make sure everyone residing in Tacoma (and the US) gets counted. At stake is an estimated $14,400 per person that will come back to our community to help fund many local programs and services, including those that support the arts and education. Please take a moment to fill out the Census and return it by April 1. 10 Questions, 10 Minutes to Complete With one of the shortest questionnaires in history, the 2010 Census asks for name, gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship, and whether you own or rent your home. It takes only about 10 minutes for the average household to complete. The Importance of Census Data Every year, the federal government allocates more than $400 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data. Census data are used to determine locations for retail stores, schools, hospitals, new housing developments and other community facilities. Census data determine boundaries for state and local legislative and congressional districts. Confidentiality and the Law Responses to the 2010 Census questionnaire are required by law. All responses are used for statistical purposes only, and all are strictly confidential. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual's census questionnaire responses with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. Want more info? www.2010.census.gov<http://www.2010.census.gov/> Naomi Strom-Avila Cultural Arts Specialist City of Tacoma 747 Market Street, Room 900 Tacoma, WA 98402 253.591.5191