AUGUSTA -- Waterville Mayor Paul LePage reiterated his support Friday for the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, saying citizens need to play a bigger role in deciding how state and local tax money is spent.

LePage, a Republican mayor on a Democratic city council, said he's had success when he goes directly to voters about how to control spending in his city.

"The residents of Waterville have been my greatest asset," said LePage, who is running for governor. "It's what TABOR is all about, about having a say in how we spend our money."

With just four days to go before Tuesday's vote on Question 4, both sides pushed to get their message out and their voters to the polls.

The citizen initiative -- written by the Maine Heritage Policy Center, a conservative think tank in Portland -- would put in place limits on the growth of the state General Fund, Highway Fund and other special revenue funds. The growth would be limited according to increases in population and inflation.

The bill calls for voters to approve state tax increases, state spending that exceeds the limit, and the annual motor fuel tax increase.

At the local level, spending that exceeds the limit would also need to be approved by voters.

While LePage and a few other municipal officials spoke at the Friday news conference about their support for TABOR, at least 25 cities and towns have passed formal resolutions opposing the measure. Those include Augusta, Skowhegan, Oakland, Belgrade, Portland and South Portland.

Crystal Canney, spokeswoman for the No on 4 campaign, called Friday's State House news conference by TABOR supporters "political gimmickry."

"There are some real issues for the state of Maine which we're talking about as we oppose Question 4," she said.

Jeff Austin of the Maine Municipal Association said the association opposes TABOR, in part because it mandates a particular style of governance for all cities and towns, rather than letting each one choose.

"One of the fundamental tenets of Maine and America is the governed choose how to be governed," he said. "It's for each community to decide for itself how to be governed."

While cities such as Waterville have a city-council style of government, 350 towns in Maine decide their budgets at annual town meetings where citizens get to vote, Austin said.

On the other side, Nobleboro Selectman Henry Simmons said "poor fiscal policies" have hurt Maine citizens.

"Question 4 will let Maine families take back control of their hard-earned wages, and help turn Maine into the opportunity state we know it can be," he said.

Susan Cover -- 620-7015

scover@centralmaine.com