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Retired OU Professor And Popular Tax Witness Paid $150K A Year By Trust

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A retired Ohio University professor and witness on Ohio tax and economic issues is found to draw a hefty stipend from a conservative trust fund.

He is often relied upon for his objectivity.

An Associated Press review finds retired professor Richard Vedder draws only a fraction of his income from OU, while receiving $150,000 annually in consulting fees from the Alexandria, Va.-based Donors Trust.

He hasn't been on OU's regular payroll since 2001.

Vedder was a star witness on Gov. John Kasich's tax plan and his research was cited by backers of right-to-work legislation introduced last week.

Vedder says his opinions are dispassionate despite his relationship with the right-leaning organization.

Donors Trust supports free-market charities focused on shrinking government's role. That includes a higher education center Vedder directs.