When our family was young, my wife Penny wanted a dog. I said, “Let’s talk about it.” When I returned from a three-day airline trip, I saw a dog tied up on our front lawn.

“I guess we decided to get a dog,” I concluded. Penny adopted this dog at the humane society.

The next morning I was determined to go ice fishing with my kids, and I thought I might as well bring the dog. Dressing three young kids for a day on the ice and loading the gear is quite an undertaking, but I got it done.

As we started out on the ice, I had Emily by the hand and my youngest in a knapsack. I put my son Jack in a red tub, which I pulled by a rope. Being a real smart guy, I figured, “Why not put my dog to work and tie him to the tub?” So holding back the dog, pulling Jack, holding Emily’s hand and carrying Matt -- we started out onto the ice.

Things were going pretty well until about halfway to my brother’s fishing shanty, when another huge dog showed up.

I encouraged the other dog to move along -- which he did. My dog was interested in following his new friend -- which he did. At some point in this excitement, I let go of my dog’s rope, which was tied to my son.

I watched with great interest as my son and dog ran at full speed over the ice. My concern grew as I watched them run beyond the shanty, toward open water. As I yelled “Hey Dog!” I thought to myself, ”I don’t even know this dog’s name.”

I was relieved that the dog did turn away from the water and I was able to catch up with him.

I learned an important lesson that day: if you are going work with someone, you’d better get to know them.

At the very least – you’d better get to know their names.

Likewise, as we confront some huge challenges in Montpelier, our success will depend on the quality of our relationships within the legislature and administration.

I am excited to start that important work.

Governor Jim Douglas has said that we must concentrate on three areas: restraining state spending, growing jobs and keeping Vermonters safe.

I agree with the Governor, and I think most legislators do, too.

We have also received strong guidance from President-elect Obama.

When Governor Douglas met with him in November, the President-elect said to him, “Governor, we will deliver a stimulus package, but when you go back to Vermont, please make sure it does not get bogged down in red tape.”

I know Vermonter with a vision, who has been fighting a lot of that red tape recently.

Jim Harrison and his family want to produce clean wind energy on a hilltop in Milton, Vermont. They believe strongly in energy independence and protecting our environment. Jim also wants to grow jobs around this green and growing sector. We need to help Jim with that red tape.

As most Vermonters know, I am a commercial airline pilot. We do things differently in aviation. We have a practice that may be helpful as we look at ways to reduce red tape with common-sense permit reform.

Every nine months, I have to demonstrate to the FAA that I am proficient to fly in zero-ceiling and 600-foot visibility conditions. This is called a “Cat 3” approach. When I demonstrate proficiency, I am pre-certified, so that on a dark and stormy night, after I receive landing clearance, I do not have to call FAA headquarters and ask for a permit for a Cat 3 landing, because I have already been pre-certified.

Vermont could provide certification standards for wind projects, cellular communication towers, storm water systems, septic systems, and bridge and road projects. President Obama has said, “Let’s eliminate the red tape,” and this reform would.

Right now we have hard-working state employees, dealing with a complex permit process and a tsunami of paper. Let’s transform the way we do business.

Our budget challenges will force us to seek new ways to serve. Here are a few ideas that I have heard from Vermonters.

In Massachusetts when there’s a big snowstorm, the state calls up a ready reserve to assist the state with clearing the snow from their roads. This allows for a better utilization of hard working road crews and would save us money.

Let’s standardize and accelerate the use of prefabricated bridges. In Manchester, Vermont last summer, they replaced a critical bridge over the Battenkill River with a prefabricated bridge. The entire replacement took just eleven days and saved money.

We have a great Buy Local campaign here in Vermont. As a matter of fact, Vermonters purchase more locally than people in any other state. Buy Local helps our forest products sector and the rural economy.

As a Vermont organic sugar maker, I love the Buy Local concept.

In fact, I think we should expand it, and ask IBM to bid on a proposal to simplify and consolidate state IT services.

IBM – our state’s largest commercial employer -- donates more annually to charities in our state than we buy from them in services!

Let’s build collaboration with IBM, the Vermont Software Alliance, our state IT department and Champlain College and co-develop a new state-of-the-art municipal service software solution.

How about contracting with Vermont’s Native American crafters to operate the Swanton I-89 Rest Area, where they could sell their handcrafted products? There could be other money-saving solutions at other rest areas.

At American Airlines, we also have a program called “Ideas in Action”. It has generated a company-wide spirit of innovation by offering cash rewards for employees who suggest cost-saving ideas that are accepted and implemented.

In its first year, the program generated 49,000 suggestions, of which about 4,600 were implemented – for a total cost savings of about $58 million. With those savings we bought a brand new $50 million Boeing 757. More recently those savings paid for a new, $150 million Boeing 777.

Our Vermont state employees can generate cost-saving ideas to help our state, too.

Each and every Vermonter can serve as well, by suggesting new and innovative ways for our state to weather this current financial storm and emerge better and stronger than we were before.

Brian Dubie is Vermont’s Lt. Governor. Send ideas via email to martha.hanson@state.vt.us, or by mail to the Lt. Governor, 115 State St., Montpelier, VT 05633.

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