California Constitution Article XIII D Section 2

SEC. 2. Definitions. As used in this article: (a) Agency means any local government as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1 of Article XIIIC. (b) Assessment means any levy or charge upon real property by an agency for a special benefit conferred upon the real property. Assessment includes, but is not limited to, special assessment, benefit assessment, maintenance assessment and special assessment tax. (c) Capital cost means the cost of acquisition, installation, construction, reconstruction, or replacement of a permanent public improvement by an agency. (d) District means an area determined by an agency to contain all parcels which will receive a special benefit from a proposed public improvement or property-related service. (e) Fee or charge means any levy other than an ad valorem tax, a special tax, or an assessment, imposed by an agency upon a parcel or upon a person as an incident of property ownership, including a user fee or charge for a property related service. (f) Maintenance and operation expenses means the cost of rent, repair, replacement, rehabilitation, fuel, power, electrical current, care, and supervision necessary to properly operate and maintain a permanent public improvement. (g) Property ownership shall be deemed to include tenancies of real property where tenants are directly liable to pay the assessment, fee, or charge in question. (h) Property-related service means a public service having a direct relationship to property ownership. (i) Special benefit means a particular and distinct benefit over and above general benefits conferred on real property located in the district or to the public at large. General enhancement of property value does not constitute special benefit.