State funding of transportation, establishing legislative districts and City Council wards, and Community Development Block Grants, which occasionally help funds sewers and other services, are examples of programs whose benefit to Saco is sometime tied to the federal Census.

The Census, which is required by the Constitution, is done every ten years. For most households, there are just 10 questions. It takes about two minutes to do it.

So if you haven't opened that official looking envelope on your counter or desk, now is the time to send it back. No postage is required.

If you want to see how what percentage of people are returning the Census, you can go to http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map. As of Tuesday, March 30, 55% of Saco residents had returned their form, just over the 52% national rate. If you do not mail in a form, your house will be visited by a Census counter in the next few months.