Now the politics of tax cuts and budget-setting starts in earnest.

• A note here about the surprise announcement at the Deseret Morning News last Friday — the appointment of former Geneva Steel/Utah GOP Chairman Joe Cannon as the new editor of this newspaper, as Editor and Chief Operating Officer John Hughes returns to teaching at Brigham Young University.

I've known Joe for probably 20 years and covered him when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 1992 and during his 5 1/2-year tenure as Republican Party chairman (he resigned that post just a month ago). Joe has also sat on the Deseret Morning News' board of directors for the past 11 years. He's the older brother of U.S. Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah.

As Joe readily admits, he is not a trained journalist.

But one of the first times I met Joe, he told me how much he loved newspapering, especially how he loved the Deseret Morning News, where various of his ancestors were either editors or writers.

There's been quite a bit of negative reaction to Cannon's appointment. And there is skepticism around our city desk about how he'll work out, which is understandable.

I've always found Joe smart, even-tempered and reasonable.

Are there a lot of potential conflicts of interests ahead for him and the newspaper? Yes.

But I also remember a former publisher who was chairman of the Utah Symphony, president of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and whose wife was briefly a GOP lieutenant governor candidate.

We got through all of that here at the newspaper, as the good reporters, editors and other staffers hunkered down and did their jobs in a fair and unbiased manner.

Joe says everyone should just let him prove himself as an aggressive, well-balanced editor.

I can say absolutely that Joe never pressured me in any way as either board member or party chairman. He never suggested that I write or not write a story or column — not that I would have listened to him if he had.

Now Joe and the newspaper move into a new era, a new relationship.

And as we keep doing our jobs here, I'm optimistic Joe can become an asset for this newspaper and our readers.

---

Deseret Morning News political editor Bob Bernick Jr. may be reached by e-mail at bbjr@desnews.com.