For retailers and other businesses, an accurate portrait of Denver's growing population reveals growing markets. A full count will help Denver demonstrate its market potential to investors looking to determine whether the region has enough customers to support new services or the workforce necessary to staff new franchises. And more than ever, businesses will need to rely on this information to maximize scarce resources and minimize the risks of major ventures.

In 2000, seven out of ten Denver residents responded to the census by mail, one of the highest response rates in the country. But a successful census in 2000 doesn't guarantee an accurate count this time around. Many Americans today are wary of government intrusion, leaving many hesitant to answer the federal survey. Foreclosures have also drastically increased homelessness and forced people into irregular living situations that will further complicate an accurate count. And so far, only 32% of Denver County households have mailed back their surveys.

Concerned about government spending? Consider this: for every one percent improvement in the Census mail response rate, the government saves about $80 million in taxpayer dollars. After April 1, Census Bureau workers will begin making calls and knocking on doors in the massively expensive outreach effort to unresponsive households.

Without a full census count, local and state governments, already cash-strapped and facing budget shortfalls, will not receive adequate federal funding for public services; and businesses will be discouraged from investing in struggling communities. The 2000 Census missed nearly 6.4 million people across the country. But this time around, we can't afford anything less than a full count of every resident, every consumer, and every worker in every neighborhood. Far too much is at stake.