Municipality of Anchorage, Appellant v. Sam Andrew Holleman and Jason Alward, Appellees

Summary

The court affirmed summary judgment requiring the Municipality to accept a referendum petition seeking repeal of an ordinance substantially revising Anchorage's labor-relations laws. It held that neither state law, the municipal charter, nor home-rule status made the Assembly's authority over labor relations exclusive, and that the referendum neither appropriated public assets nor improperly divested the Assembly of legislative power. Applying the legislative-versus-administrative inquiry, the court concluded that the ordinance made permanent and generally applicable policy changes and was therefore subject to referendum.