Even as city leaders call on employees to take pay cuts or face layoffs, seven City Council members and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich have declined to lower their own salaries.

Some of those who have not taken the cuts defended the decisions by saying they have reduced their office spending or their staff's salaries or are waiting until the city's unions agree to their own pay cut.

Trutanich, for example, has not taken a cut in his $213,724 a year pay. Spokesman John Franklin noted the amount is far below what he was making in private practice.

But Trutanich's appointed staff - including Chief Deputy Bill Carter and Senior Adviser Jane Usher - have volunteered for cuts ranging from 5 percent to 20 percent.

"In addition, when he came in, he had to deal with an 18 percent cut in the budget and the loss of some 100 attorneys," Franklin said.

Some critics and union leaders say it is not enough for elected officials to only cut their office budgets.

"They are all making a lot more than city workers," said Judy West, a spokeswoman for the Coalition of City Unions. "We aren't sure if they really understand the pain that workers are feeling. All we want to do is provide services to the public, and it doesn't seem they get it."

She noted that many city workers have gone without raises in the past two years and have had to take furlough days without pay.

Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said volunteering for a pay cut is a symbolic move by the officials that is important to the public.

"We all feel we are in a life boat and anyone who helps lighten the load is taking positive action," Vosburgh said. "The public appreciates it. These are tough times and people want to see that the council and other officials share in the pain."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has cut his pay of $231,535 by 16 percent.

"I knew that people would look at what I am doing when I am calling for sacrifices from our employees," Villaraigosa said earlier this year.

He also imposed a 10 percent pay cut on the workers directly under his authority and not covered by civil service or union contracts.

The salaries of elected officials are tied to those of Superior Court judges, as required years ago by an ethics reform package approved by voters.

Controller Wendy Greuel, whose authorized salary is $195,914 took a 4 percent cut in 2007 and now has reduced her pay by 5 percent since last October.

In addition, the entire controller staff has taken furloughs this year, with the cuts varying based on the tenure of the employees.

On the City Council, eight of the 15 members have taken cuts in their base salary of $178,798.

Council President Eric Garcetti has cut his pay by 10 percent and his staff has taken furlough days.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn has taken the largest cut, with a 16 percent reduction in her pay, followed by Councilmen Ed Reyes and Tony Cardenas with a 10 percent reduction as have Councilmen Paul Koretz and Jose Huizar.

Council members Dennis Zine, Jan Perry and Tom LaBonge have taken 5 percent or 10 percent cuts.

Zine has reduced his salary by 10 percent and his staff is taking seven furlough days this fiscal year. He also transferred $800,000 from his office budget to the city's general fund, has declined to fill several office vacancies and has made other spending reductions.

LaBonge also required his top aides to take pay cuts and he has also reduced his staff and staff salaries.

Councilman Paul Krekorian said he believes it is important to have shared sacrifice.

"Different council members have different personal concerns," Krekorian told KABC Radio (790 AM).

He added that he had cut his office expenses by 10 percent and plans to lay off several staff workers in coming months.

Councilman Bill Rosendahl has been among the most outspoken of council members regarding the needs for workers to take cuts to save jobs.

But he has not reduced his own pay.

"Everyone should take a 10percent cut from the top bureaucrat down to the person who makes an hourly wage," Rosendahl said at a recent council meeting. "If we all did that across the board, we wouldn't need to get rid of anybody."

As for his salary, Rosendahl said he will take the cut when city workers agree to their own cut.

Rosendahl spokesman Mike Bonin said the councilman's staff has been cut through attrition and he has reduced his office budget.

Other council members who are not taking any immediate cuts include Richard Alarc n, Bernard Parks, Greig Smith and Herb Wesson. They say they are waiting to see what city workers do.

Smith said he has made other cuts.

"Over the last two years, we've given back 17 percent of our office salary budget and $1.3million of our community funds to the city general fund," Smith said. "We also returned one of our city vehicles and we have an open position on our staff that we are keeping open."