LAKE COUNTY – The county of Lake is encouraging all residents to be counted in the 2010 US Census.

Census Day is April 1, 2010.

The information gathered by the US Census – a national population count that occurs every 10 years – is used to determine levels of state and federal funding that come to local government, schools and nonprofit organizations.

The data also is very useful to numerous businesses.

If Lake County's population is undercounted, the county will be in jeopardy of not receiving its fair share of funding for public services such as emergency services, roads, schools, hospitals and job training, officials reported. The census population count also is important in that it determines electoral districts.

Census questionnaires will be delivered or mailed to households in March.

With only 10 questions, the 2010 Census questionnaire is one of the shortest census questionnaires in history and takes just 10 minutes to complete.

All information provided on the questionnaires is kept confidential, protected and safe.

County officials said they're doing their part to spread the message of the importance of the 2010 Census.

They have created a Complete Count Committee made up of local representatives to assist the county in achieving as complete a count as possible and to build local awareness for the 2010 Census.

Local agencies are encouraged to become involved in building this local awareness through the sharing and publicizing of census information.

More information about the US Census can be found at the following Web sites: www.2010Census.gov , www.census.ca.gov or www.californiacompletecount.org .

Contact the Lake County Administrative Office at 707-263-2580 if you would like more information and to become a part of building awareness for the 2010 Census.

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