Wayne Farms wants a tax exemption from the City of Laurel

LAUREL, Miss. - Wayne Farms recently laid off around 500 people and now it is asking the City of Laurel for a favor.

Wayne Farms is asking the City of Laurel for a $9 million tax exemption for the next ten years.

Mayor of Laurel, Johnny Magee said, "When you have 500 people who are put out of a job and you still ask the city for a tax exemption, I don't think it's fair to the citizens. I think the only people it would be fair to is the management of Wayne Farms."

"The taxpayers of the City of Laurel, the taxpayers of Jones County, they're not reaping the benefits of what the city and the county are putting into Wayne Farms, said Magee."

Magee said that Wayne Farms should not try the tax exemption for five years and if the company hires more people, then the city will reconsider the tax exemption.