The Chicago City Council was set to gather Monday for the first of five meetings scheduled before Christmas.

City leaders are racing to pass a budget before the end of the year.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and a group of alderpeople remain at odds on a deal for the 2026 budget plan.

At issue is the mayor's revised proposal for a corporate head tax, which his critics see as a job killer, and their counterproposal which, among other taxes and fees, would increase garbage collection fees, despite a veto threat from the mayor.

The City Council must pass a budget by Dec. 31 or face a city government shutdown.

A group of aldermen aligned against the mayor's budget indicated they have more than the 26 votes required to prevent the mayor's head tax proposal and push through some ideas of their own.

Among other measures, their alternative budget would increase liquor taxes, expand a rideshare surcharge for Uber and Lyft, improve debt collection by selling some outstanding debt to collection agencies, and raise garbage collection fees. The aldermen originally proposed nearly doubling monthly garbage collection fees from $9.50 to $18, but have since trimmed down the new rate they are seeking to $15.

The mayor has vowed to veto any budget plan that includes increased garbage collection fees, calling it an unfair burden on the average homeowner. Overriding a veto would require 34 votes.

For his part, Johnson mayor has revised his corporate head tax proposal from $21 per employee per month for companies with 100 employees or more to $33 dollars per employee per month at companies with at least 500 workers.

Local advocates and alders are also calling for a budget that includes funding for violence interruption programs, youth jobs, and gender-based violence services.

The advocates will be speaking at City Hall Monday morning, where organizers said they will demand corporations help pay for the programs. They are pushing for the City Council to keep a community safety surcharge, which is $100 million in funding.

They believe the programs funded by the surcharge will keep people in Chicago safe.

Meanwhile, 13 members of the Chicago Board of Education are calling on the City Council to use the funding to support schools.

In a letter to alders that will be sent Monday, the board members want the budget to honor promises on Tax Increment Financing district funding, and to include funding for essential programs that are being threatened by federal funding cuts.

The Board of Education members also want the city to keep costs down by not raising property taxes, and other fees such as garbage fees.

In an effort to give themselves the leeway needed to pass a budget before Christmas, aldermen have scheduled five City Council meetings before Christmas — on Monday through Thursday this week, and again on Dec. 23.