Council has approved $261 million in capital spending for the year — but you have one last shot to grab a share of the asphalt.

Last-minute budget juggling means city councillors have $3 million — that's $200,000 each — to spend fixing residential streets in each ward.

So if your street is more pothole than pavement, now's the time to complain to your councillor.

"Compared to the overall roads budget it's a drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps," said Coun. Chad Collins, who added his own Ward 5 residents complained loudly about the state of local roads even before one city official warned some streets were in danger of going "down to gravel."

The city's capital budget is all about building, replacing and repairing — think arterial roads, bridges, buses, rec centres and affordable housing.

As usual, the lion's share — $99 million, or about 40 per cent — will be spent on roads and bridges. But that still leaves us $120 million behind what we should be spending on needed repairs.

Council hasn't approved a final tax levy yet, but about $44 million of the capital budget comes from taxes you pay this year. The rest of the capital cash comes from reserves, government grants, leftover project funding, development charges and debt financing.

In an effort to chip away at the infrastructure deficit, council also approved a half-percent increase to the tax levy dedicated to capital. The extra money, about $3.7 million, equates to another $15 on the average homeowner's tax bill.

Council also approved $5 million for the capital budget Wednesday that may not be spent in 2015 — or ever.

That cash will be set aside for the Hamilton Police Service, which hopes to build a $15 million, 50,000-square-foot forensic and investigative building in the downtown as soon as possible.

That project, and the city's contribution, hinges on $10 million in new funding from the province and federal government.

But Chief Glenn DeCaire implored councillors Wednesday to back what he called the "top priority of the service," arguing other levels of government won't ante up without municipal support.

Police have been lobbying for a modernized forensic lab for a close to a decade.

Big spenders: Roads/bridges: $99 million (40%)

Transit: $24 million (10%)

Court relocation: $20.4 million (8%)

Stadium precinct rec centre: $16.3 million (7%)

West harbour redevelopment: $11 million (4%)

Winners: Library fans

Binbrook and Dundas get rebuilt or renovated libraries this year thanks to an extra $3.8-million request city councillors approved late in the game.

Residents near the stadium

The city will begin spending $16.3 million on a new seniors and rec centre in the shadow of the Pan Am stadium this year. Sure, it's more short-term pain for neighbourhood residents already sick of stadium construction — but it will end with one of the snazziest recreational facilities in the city. Demolition will also begin on the old glass plant north of Barton Street, which is destined to become sports fields. Work on both projects will likely extend beyond 2016, however.

Pothole-hating homeowners

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A dire warning of local roads deteriorating "to gravel" spurred city councillors to order a $3-million budget rejig that will result in $200,000 in repairs for residential streets in each ward.

North Enders

The city is ramping up spending to prepare for a hoped-for $500-million redevelopment of Piers 7 and 8 that is expected to add 1,600 residential units to the waterfront — and likely jack up surrounding property values. This year, the city will spend $11 million on a new pumping station and shoreline repairs.

Police investigators

The city has finally signed off on a $5-million contribution toward a planned $15-million, 50,000-square-foot forensics and investigative building in the downtown. Police still have to sweet-talk the rest of the cash out of federal and provincial governments for lab improvements that were already described as critical a decade ago.

Losers: Motorists

Even though the city is spending 40 per cent of all its capital cash fixing roads and bridges — almost $100 million — the city needs to be spending double that figure just to keep up. We're falling behind on all infrastructure spending by $195 million each year.

Bus drivers

The city opted not to approve $1.5 million requested for bus surveillance cameras aimed at deterring assaults on bus drivers, which doubled last year to almost 40. On the upside, they'll get 24 new buses out of this budget — and maybe more, if councillors eventually approve a long-term transit plan under discussion.

Gateway advocates

Fans of a long-awaited Hamilton gateway sign will have to wait longer still. Part of the trade-off for more local roads cash was $75,000 originally earmarked for a civic gateway project.

Farmers' Market

Seemingly never-ending mechanical, electrical and heating issues at the market under the downtown library will wait until 2016 after council put off $100,000 in suggested tweaks.

Garbage collectors

Council axed a $400,000 gym meant to provide "ergonomic improvements" for waste collectors, who have one the highest on-the-job injury rates among city workers.