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Richmond officials are vigorously protesting a government transparency initiative that would require them to post documents and contracts for certain city projects on a centralized website.

“It would be a burden we cannot afford,” said John Buturla, the city’s interim deputy administrator for operations, arguing that the cost of maintaining such a website would take away funding for the projects themselves.

If adopted, the proposal would require officials to create a website for any capital project with a budget of more than $5 million that contains a description; its budget; and links to associated documents, such as contracts, related ordinances and other relevant items.

The measure’s sponsor, Councilman Parker C. Agelasto, said those documents already are available publicly but typically are distributed over the course of a number of meetings and, as such, can be difficult for residents to find after the fact.

“It’s simply taking that information and pulling it from other systems,” he said.

At the City Council’s meeting Monday, officials said 22 current projects meet the $5 million threshold that would require a website.