Within a few weeks, Texans will begin taking part in the 2010 Census, which aims to count every person living in the United States in an attempt to meet statewide needs.

The information you provide the census is important because it helps determine how federal funding is spent. This money helps fund a variety of critical infrastructure projects and services, including hospitals, schools and job training centers, as well as the development of rural areas and the planning of urban land use. The 10-year census also affects the number of seats Texas occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives. Getting an accurate count of Texans means better infrastructure and maybe a federal government a little bit more influenced by the Texas model that has proven so effective.

I don’t blame some people who believe door-to-door census takers are an invasion of privacy and think the questions are none of the government’s business. The good news is that law requires answers to be held confidentially and information to be used for statistical purposes only. Your information is not shared with any other local, state or federal agency. That set my concerns at ease and I hope it does the same for you.

The 2010 Census will count all residents living in the United States on April 1, 2010. With only 10 questions, it is the shortest questionnaire in census history and should take only about 10 minutes to complete. For the sake of the Lone Star State’s future prosperity, please fill out the 2010 Census and return it to make sure all Texans are counted.