Chicago aldermen have scheduled a series of five City Council meetings before Christmas as they race the clock to pass a budget by the end of the year and avoid a city government shutdown.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and his opponents remained far apart Wednesday on a deal for a 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 has until Dec. 31 to pass a budget or face a city government shutdown in the new year.

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.

"If the mayor goes for a veto, that's on him. Then he's going to be the one driving this city toward the fiscal cliff," Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) said. "He has to get in the room. He has to collaborate with us as we've been asking for the last several weeks."

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.

The mayor claimed he has the city on his side.

"Seventy-four percent, the vast majority of the people of Chicago, want us to challenge corporations to put more skin in the game," Johnson said.

The mayor's critics have said there is no dollar amount they'd agree to on the mayor's head tax plan.

"No, not in this budget," Waguespack said.

The mayor has said the estimated $82 million in annual revenue from his head tax proposal would be used for violence prevention programs, such as youth jobs.

A coalition of community groups gathered at City Hall on Wednesday to voice their opposition to the alternative budget put forth by the mayor's opponents, which they said would cut 5,100 summer jobs.

"We are in a moment where 26 alders have signed onto a budget proposal that, instead of taxing the largest 3% of corporations the equivalent of a 12-cent raise on their employees, they are proposing to increase our garbage fees and cut our youth jobs," said Brianna Champion, an organizer with the Chicago Black Voter Project.

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 next week, and again on Dec. 23.