Opinion ID: 1131008
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bill McGahan

Text: The superior court did not decide whether Bill McGahan had standing to sue, since it concluded that his claims had no merit and ultimately dismissed the suit on the ground that the basic issue presented was nonjusticiable. In order to reach the issues of the validity of Ordinance 91-18 and justiciability, we must first determine whether McGahan has standing to sue. [T]he concept of standing has been interpreted broadly in Alaska. Moore v. State, 553 P.2d 8, 23 (Alaska 1976). The basic requirement for standing in Alaska is adversity. Trustees for Alaska v. State, 736 P.2d 324, 327 (Alaska 1987), cert. denied, 486 U.S. 1032, 108 S.Ct. 2013, 100 L.Ed.2d 601 (1988). This court recognizes interest-injury standing [5] and taxpayer-citizen standing. Id. Arguably McGahan has standing under either of these doctrines. However, taxpayer-citizen standing is more appropriate to his circumstances. Taxpayer-citizen standing will be granted if certain criteria are satisfied. First, the case must be one of public significance. Second, the plaintiff must be appropriate. This means that the plaintiff must have an adverse interest. If another party is more directly affected by the outcome, the plaintiff may be denied standing. Finally, the plaintiff must capably and competently represent the position asserted. Trustees, 736 P.2d at 329-30. Whether Ordinance 91-18 is valid without voter approval is a matter of public significance. Consolidation of the service areas directly affects the manner in which road maintenance and improvement services are provided in and by the Borough. As a resident of the North Service Area, McGahan is an appropriate plaintiff. No plaintiff or class of plaintiffs would be more directly affected by the outcome. It is not argued that he has not or cannot capably and competently advocate his adversarial position. We conclude that McGahan has standing to challenge the ordinance which altered the service area by consolidating it with three other service areas.