DENVER -- It’s being hailed as the shortest census form ever, but the 2010 questionnaire is still drawing complaints from some Coloradans who believe some of the questions are too personal.

Question 3 specifically asks: Is this house, apartment or mobile home owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan?

“I don’t think that’s going to be any of their business,” said Ismini Giakouminakis, owner of Swifts Steakhouse at Broadway and Ellsworth in Denver.

Giakouminakis said the government should already know how many people have mortgages. She doesn’t know why that question is on the 2010 form.

“It’s about knowledge,” said Mark Hellfritz, assistant regional census manager.

Hellfritz said the census is important for three reasons.

Among them: Power -- which comes from congressional and legislative redistricting; Money -- $400 billion of which is appropriated back to cities and states based on the count; and Knowledge -- which helps various government agencies make decisions on roads, infrastructure, schools and other developments.

When asked what knowledge would be gained by asking whether the home was owned by someone with a mortgage, Hellfritz replied that communities can make decisions on housing based on the aggregate numbers.

“Do they need apartments? Do they have a lot of renters? Or do they have single family ownership?” Hellfritz said. “With the downturn in the market, it actually takes on more importance these days because we can make decisions for the future based on needs.”

Eileen Prinsen said the mortgage question didn’t bother her, but the one about race did.

“That one to me was so convoluted,” Prinsen said. “I just wanted to write in there that I’m an American.”

Prinsen, who has already filled out her form, said she didn’t have a problem writing down her phone number, but Giakouminakis said she has no intention of writing hers down.

“I don’t like to give my phone number,” she told 7NEWS.

When asked why, Giakouminakis said, “I don’t want it to go all over the place.”

Hellfritz said it wouldn’t.

He said the phone number is simply to give census workers a way to contact residents if they have a question about one of their answers on the questionnaire.

“We don’t give it out to vendors or anything like that. It’s completely confidential,” Hellfritz said.

When asked if people can be fined or sent to jail for failing to answer the questions, Hellfritz said, “Not jailed, but technically there is a fine ($100) because it’s a mandatory survey.”

But he added, “It’s not in our interest to fine anyone. It’s not something that we pursue.”

While some people believe the survey goes too far, others said it doesn’t go far enough.

Heather Draper of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado is encouraging GLBT people and their supporters to affix a pink label to the back of the census envelope.

The label states: Attn: U.S. Census Bureau, It’s time to count everyone! It allows you to check whether you are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or a Straight Ally.

“It’s to raise awareness,” Draper said, “so that we get access to resources and programs to support our health, safety and well-being.”

If you need help filling out your census form you can call one of the following numbers:

For help in English: 1-866-872-6868

For help in Chinese: 1-866-935-2010

For help in Korean: 1-866-955-2010

For help in Russian: 1-866-965-2010

For help in Spanish: 1-866-928-2010

For help in Vietnamese: 1-866-945-2010