DEFINE WHO WE ARE AS A CITY AND A NATION

The Census Bureau will be mailing questionnaires to all confirmed addresses in the City of Porterville in March. The 2010 Census aims to count all U.S. residents - citizens and non-citizens alike. There will be a list of Questionnaire Assistance Centers (Q&A) available at City Hall and the Porterville Public Library. These centers will provide assistance to those that need help filling out their forms. If you, or someone you know, does not receive a questionnaire in the mail, you can go to any location to fill out the form.

Questionnaires are due back by April 1, 2010, however a census taker must follow up in person with every address that doesn't mail back the form in order to obtain the responses.

A COMPLETE COUNT: THE IMPORTANCE OF CENSUS DATA

• Every year, the federal government allocates more than $300 billion to states and communities based, in part, on census data.
• Census data is 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.

2010 Census Questionnaire
With only ten questions, the questionnaire only takes 10 minutes to complete. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual's responses with anyone. including other federal agencies and law enforcement agencies.