Carlton Proctor of Studer Community Institute

With Christmas fast approaching, let us all enjoy this brief, but welcomed calm before the noisy political storms of 2016 come rolling in.

Like it or not, the new year promises wall-to-wall politics, commencing with the Florida Legislature's early regular session, beginning the second week in January.

Then it's on to the state's high-profile March 15 presidential primary; followed by a long hot summer of campaigning. The party primaries are on Aug. 30, and  the season's grand finale is the Nov. 8 general election.

With the state's 2016 political calendar all but full, the Greater Pensacola Chamber this week gave its members a preview of what to expect from Tallahassee.

Chamber members got the legislative lowdown from their local delegation:  State Reps. Mike Hill and Clay Ingram, who also serves as the Greater Pensacola Chamber's CEO. They were joined by former Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.

Given that it's a re-election year for Hill and Ingram — but not Gaetz who term-limits out Nov. 15, 2016 after eight years in office — it wasn't surprising to hear lots of talk about tax cuts.

In fact, as Gaetz, R-Niceville, declared, "no tax is safe," during the 2016 legislative session.

Gaetz's son, House member Matt Gaetz, is running for his 67-year-old father's Senate seat. The elder Gaetz, first elected in 2006, steps down Nov. 15.

Gaetz said the key to helping Florida grow its economy is cutting taxes.

"You cut state taxes and better jobs await," he said.

The "cut taxes" theme carried over into past chamber Chairman Gary Huston's remarks.

Huston cited the $400 million telecommunication services tax cut approved by the Legislature in 2015, and called for more of the same.

Huston, a local attorney, said the Florida business community is pushing for a repeal of the state sales tax on commercial leases.

"Florida is the only state in the union that imposes a sales tax on commercial leases," he said.

He noted that sales tax generates some $1.5 billion in state revenue annually.

Florida's chambers of commerce and other business advocates are not asking for a repeal of the tax, Huston said, rather a reduction from 6 percent to 5 percent on commercial leases.

That proposed cut would put some $287 million back in the pockets of commercial property owners.

Another proposed tax cut, which would reduce taxes on the purchase of large equipment by Florida-based businesses and industries, is being pushed by tax-cut advocates.

Ingram, who chairs the House's Transportation and Economic Development subcommittee, also noted he has placed in the 2016 budget some $240 million in funding for transportation improvements in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties

Other issues being discussed in Tallahassee include:

— Improving veterans' state health and job benefits.

— Examining how the state funds economic development, and what, if any, legislation is needed to improve the process.

— Stronger legislation governing enforcement of laws against illicit synthetic drugs.

— Proposed legislation creating a sales tax holiday for the purchase of hurricane preparedness equipment and supplies.

— Providing civil remedies for victims of terrorist attacks.

— Enhancing benefits for the families of first responders killed in the line of duty.

— Legislation that would relax rules, and encourage development of remote online "telemedicine" procedures.