Students in Robert Murray’s fourth-grade class at Leonard Elementary got a lesson in taxation and the power of law enforcement when Addison Township Supervisor Bruce Pearson and Sgt. Robert Brudvig stopped by on Wednesday, May 4.
Pearson told students the reason people are taxed is the local, state or federal governments can use the money generated from taxes to help better serve their citizens.
He explained to students that property taxes on residences help fund roads, police and fire departments and public schools, in addition to other taxes for gas and social security.
Brudvig spoke on the importance of having a police force to enforce the laws that the legislative branch creates.
‘With law enforcement, we are out there to enforce the laws that are set…we are a branch of the court system and we do the enforcement to make it a better and safe place for everyone so there are no bullies and that they go away,? he told the fourth graders.
Murray invited both Pearson and Brudvig to speak with his students as a culmination of their IB unit on organization.
‘We chose to talk about organization of government and our roles as people,? Murray said. ‘We have responsibilities that we have to uphold, paying taxes, obeying laws, and that is what they are here to talk about.
At the end, Pearson and Brudvig did a question and answered session with the students.