Mayor Magee plans to veto Wayne Farms' tax exemption

LAUREL, Miss. - Wayne Farms has been waiting for a while to get the $8 million property tax exemption it requested.

The Laurel City Council granted the company a property tax exemption earlier this week with a 5-2 vote, but it is a $6 million property tax exemption.

Frank Singleton, Wayne Farms media relations person said he is pleased about the tax exemption, even though it is less than what they asked for.

But others are not happy about the exemption.

Mayor of Laurel, Johnny Magee said, "That still does not set well with me. We have 595 people who are out of work now because Wayne Farms let them go. We gave Wayne Farms basically around $880,000 to do their improvements. And now they're still asking for more funding."

Magee said he is planning to veto the decision.

Singleton said he thanks the Laurel community for its support, but has no comment about the mayor's veto plans.

Magee said there will be another council meeting soon to finalize the decision.

Magee needs at least one person from city council to vote in favor of the veto for it to be official. Wayne Farms needs five votes to keep the tax exemption.