Steinberg says if the Republicans do not want to pay for government, then they will get less of it.
He has not said what specific cuts he is considering or how he would target individual districts, but, Steinberg says he would make sure services for vulnerable children were exempt.
Steinberg's comments came after a new poll finds a large majority of state residents support Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to eliminate California's budget deficit.
The Public Policy Institute of California says 61 percent say they are in favor of closing the deficit through spending cuts as well as extending and increasing taxes if it means public schools would face no further cuts. But, 61 percent also say they oppose maintaining a 1 cent state sales tax that is set to expire in July to keep the current funding for schools.
