This chapter may be cited as the "Library Relief Act of 1980." The tax imposed under this chapter is solely for the purpose of raising income and revenue which is necessary to assure the provision of the usual and current expenses of operating the City of Berkeley Library Services at the level which permits library operations six days a week at branch libraries, and seven days a week at the Central Library, holidays and summer Sundays excepted, and permits the purchase of library books and other materials at levels which are commensurate with the libraries’ hours of service and staffing.

Section 4 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution (Proposition 13) allows two-thirds of the qualified electors of the City to impose a special tax within the City, provided the special tax is not an ad valorem tax on real property or a transaction tax or a sales tax on the sale of real property within the City. The tax imposed by the Library Relief Act of 1980, as amended, is a special tax which is authorized for elector approval by Section 4 of Article XIIIA of the California Constitution. (Ord. 5894-NS § 1, 1988: Ord. 5262-NS § 1, 1980)