Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, said the state is at the bottom of a huge economic downturn, and she questions why state schools Supt. Tom Luna says this is the "new normal." "Is your pessimism that deep, that we are not going to recover like the rest of the states?" she asked. Luna responded that he views his plan as "optimistic," because it would address teacher pay and technology upgrades even in a down economy.