ALBANY - Despite a historic increase in state school aid, New Yorkers can generally expect a bigger local tax bill from their proposed local budgets, but the growth will likely be less than a year ago.

The state Business Council's annual School Tax Watch reported Thursday that despite the state aid increase of $1.8 billion approved April 1, the per pupil property tax levy will increase 4 percent on average statewide.

That would be down from a 6 percent increase a year ago, according to the business group. State aid is now about $19 billion a year.

Between state and local sources, per-pupil spending will increase 6 percent to $18,035, on average, according to the Business Council.

That's about twice the inflation rate.

Just 74 of the more than 600 school districts analyzed call for spending increases at or below inflation, said council spokesman Matthew Maguire.

The increase in spending was needed and required by a court decision that found the state hasn't met its constitutional requirement to fund schools enough to provide a sound education, said David Ernst of the state School Boards Association.

“Nevertheless, most districts applied at least part of their state aid to property tax relief,” he said.

The state Education Department shows the average local tax levy will increase by 3.9 percent, he said, compared with a 6.1 percent increase a year ago.

Ernst also said the broad consumer price index, which tracks the rising costs to individuals, isn't an accurate measure of the rising costs faced by schools.