Minnesotans could see as much as a 4 percent overall increase in property taxes in 2015, based on figures released Tuesday by the state Revenue Department.

The preliminary maximum 2015 levies for local governments total $7.93 billion, up from $7.62 billion this year.

The coming increases for cities, counties and school districts are about twice as large as they were last year, state Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans said.

Why? In 2013 and this year, state and local officials focused on trying to stop more than a decade of annual property tax increases, Frans said, by providing more local government aid — that is, state tax money paid to local entities — to reduce levies and produce more property tax refunds.

“That pressure, I think, worked and helped us reduce property taxes for the first time in 12 years,” he said.

But now, he said, local officials are under growing pressure to spend more on roads and other infrastructure and salary increases.

Local governments set their preliminary maximum levies by Sept. 15. That information provided taxpayers an opportunity to comment on proposed tax levels at truth-in-taxation meetings this fall.

After getting citizen input, local governments can set their final levies lower, but not higher, than the preliminary levies. Local officials must set their final 2015 levies by Dec. 26. In St. Paul, for example, the preliminary city levy would increase 2.4 percent, while Ramsey County proposed no increase.

Overall, cities have proposed a 4.6 percent property-tax levy increase, counties’ levies would go up 3 percent, townships would levy an additional 2 percent and special taxing districts proposed a 3 percent boost.The preliminary St. Paul city levy would increase 2.4 percent, while Ramsey County proposed no increase.

School levies would increase 5.7 percent, bolstered by $44 million in new or renewed referenda approved by voters. The St. Paul school district would see a 1 percent increase. Forty-eight of the 62 school district referenda on the ballot this fall at least partially passed.

The final property tax picture won’t be known until February.

Counties use the preliminary numbers to provide parcel-specific 2015 property tax estimates for property owners. Those figures were mailed to property owners in truth-in-taxation notices this month. That mailing also listed the meeting times and places.

Frans said the final levy totals, statewide, are usually $20 million to $50 million lower than the preliminary ones.