After talking for months about taking on Mayor Rahm Emanuel in next year’s election, former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas soon will make it clear he’s running, his election attorney said Wednesday.

Attorney Burt Odelson said he plans to file state paperwork Monday to set up a “Paul Vallas for Chicago” campaign committee. Vallas is “150 percent” committed to running, Odelson said. “It’s full speed ahead,” he said.

Attempts to reach Vallas were not immediately successful Wednesday evening. He’s kept a relatively low profile in recent weeks after the death of his 24-year-old son.

Starting in January, though, Vallas was saying he would get in the race if he could secure the resources needed to make a run. Emanuel is a prolific fundraiser, so taking him on likely will be a costly affair.

Vallas was city budget director under then-Mayor Richard M. Daley before being tapped to lead a newly revamped school district. He has been critical of Emanuel’s stewardship of city finances. Getting in the race, however, could expose Vallas to his own criticism, given that he’s got a long public career to examine.

It’s also unlikely to be a one-on-one contest, although that could favor a challenger if multiple candidates force Emanuel into a runoff, as happened in 2015.

Garry McCarthy, the former police superintendent fired by Emanuel amid a growing scandal surrounding the shooting of black teen Laquan McDonald by white Officer Jason Van Dyke, announced his candidacy last week.

Also saying they’ll run: Chicago principals association President Troy LaRaviere, who was fired by the mayor’s administration as principal of Lakeview’s Blaine Elementary School; businessman Willie Wilson, who ran in 2015; and tech entrepreneur Neal Sales-Griffin.

Many view Emanuel as weakened by the McDonald shooting and its aftermath, and McCarthy and LaRaviere have been particularly critical of the mayor’s leadership. Odelson, though, said Vallas’ campaign won’t be focused on Emanuel and his performance.

“I look at it as taking on the problems of Chicago, not (Emanuel),” Odelson said. “He’s not in our vision of Chicago.”

Emanuel campaign spokesman Pete Giangreco said Vallas’ record would be a focus for the mayor. Vallas’ “record of leaving fiscal time bombs” at multiple school districts where he worked would be an issue, he said.

hdardick@chicagotribune.com