>>> REGARDLESS OF THE NEXT MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE POISED TO TAKE A VOTE TO GIVE THEMSELVES HER INDEPENDENCE FROM THE FIFTH FLOOR.

WE BREAKDOWN WITHIN THIS PROPOSAL AND WHETHER IT IS LIKELY TO BE APPROVED.

TELL US ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL AND HOW IT WOULD CHANGE THE DYNAMIC IN CITY COUNCIL.

>> Reporter: THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS HAD THE POWER TO PICK THEIR OWN COMMITTEE CHAIRS, BUT IT IS A POWER THEY HAVE DEFERRED TO CHICAGO BEARS FOR DECADES.

THE CENTERPIECE OF THIS PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO NAME THEIR OWN COMMITTEE CHAIRS EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE 14 CITY COUNCIL RUNOFFS, AND OF COURSE WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER PAUL VALLAS OR BRANDON JOHNSON WILL BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF CHICAGO.

>> TRADITIONALLY THIS HAS BEEN A POWER RESERVED FOR THE MAYOR AND A POWER THAT THEY REALLY USED AS A CARROT TO CONTROL OTHER PEOPLE.

THERE ARE 27 COMMITTEES RIGHT NOW.

THAT MEANS A MAJORITY OF COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD BE A COMMITTEE CHAIR.

MUCH WITH THIS COST?

>> IT WOULD COST MILLIONS, PERHAPS AS MUCH AS $6 MILLION OR $7 MILLION.

EACH COMMITTEE HAS AN AVERAGE BUDGET OF ALMOST $300,000.

IT'S NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT COMMITTEE WILL GET WET BUDGET, AND OF COURSE THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE NEXT MAYOR OF CHICAGO, WHO BY LAW HAS TO PROPOSE A BUDGET, AND COULD SCUTTLE ALL OF THIS ONCE THEY GET INTO OFFICE.

>> A REMINDER FOR VIEWERS, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT ELDER PEOPLE LOVE THESE CHAIRMANSHIPS, BECAUSE MONEY AND JOBS.

THEY CAN GIVE PEOPLE JOBS.

WHERE IS THE OPPOSITION TO THIS PLAN COMING FROM?

>> BUT THE BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS DON'T WANT THIS VOTE TO TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY.

THEY SAY IT IS BETTER TO TAKE LACE AFTER THE NEW CITY COUNCIL BEGINS ITS NEW TERM AFTER MAY 15th WITH THE NEW MAYOR AND OFFICE.

THEY SAY IT WILL DISENFRANCHISE THOSE AWARDS THAT HAVE NOT FINALIZED THEIR PICK FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.

ALSO THERE HAS NOT BEEN A LOT OF TIME FOR PUBLIC REVIEW OF WHATEVER IT IS COULD BE UP FOR A VOTE ON THURSDAY.

>> HOW UNUSUAL.

WE NEVER SEE STUFF LIKE THAT.

I'M BEING FACETIOUS, OF COURSE.

WE WILL HAVE A NEW MAYOR IN MAY BUT WE WILL ALSO HAVE MORE THAN A DOZEN NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

OR ANY OF THEM SAYING LET'S PUT THE BRAKES ON THIS ?

>> IS INTERESTING.

THERE IS A PROPOSAL FLOATING OUT THERE TO NAME BOTH THE ALDERMAN GILBERT VHS AND THE OTHER ELDER PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING COMMITTEE CHAIRS.

IF THEY LOSE THIS WILL ALL BE UP FOR GRABS AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFERENT CITY COUNCIL NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THESE RUNOFFS, WHICH MUCH MORE YOUNGER , MUCH MORE LATINO, AND MUCH MORE PROGRESSIVE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES THAT EVEN THE PAST CITY COUNCIL WAS.

>> I KNOW PAUL VALLAS HAS ENDORSED THIS WHOLE IDEA.

WHAT ABOUT BRANDON JOHNSON?

>> HE HAS AS WELL.

HE SAID IT SHOULD OPERATE AS AN INDEPENDENT LEGISLATIVE BODY MY SOMETHING IT HAS NEVER DONE AND ITS STORIED HISTORY.