Project 2025: Higher Taxes for Arizonans, Reduced Social Security and Health Care

If former President Donald Trump is elected and enacts the controversial Project 2025, Arizonans can expect to see significant changes in taxes, social security, healthcare, and more, according to a new report.

Project 2025 is a right-wing blueprint crafted by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, with the goal of reshaping the U.S. federal government and consolidating executive power if Trump wins in November. The list of policy plans was created largely by former Trump aides and allies.

The Heritage Foundation collaborated with over 100 other conservative groups to develop Project 2025. These groups hold extreme views on abortion, taxes, immigration, and federal agencies. The proposals include a nationwide ban on abortion, increased immigration enforcement, and sweeping cuts to federal agencies.

Trump has disavowed Project 2025 on his social media platform, Truth Social, claiming he has no connection to it. Yet, many point to ties between the project and Trump’s inner circle, including former aide John McEntee.

Other senior Trump administration officials have been involved in the project. Russel Vought, Trump’s former budget chief and a key architect of the proposal, was named policy director for the Republican National Committee in May.

In 2022, Trump flew with Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts to a conference where Trump delivered a keynote address referencing the group’s policy work. Such actions, critics argue, imply involvement despite his public disavowal.

Project 2025 has direct ties to Arizona, with contributions from the Scottsdale-based anti-abortion Alliance Defending Freedom and Phoenix-based Turning Point USA. Both organizations are connected to a secretive Christian policy group with similar agendas.

The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, compiled a detailed report on Project 2025’s nearly 1,000-page document, highlighting potential impacts. For instance, a typical Arizona family could see an increase of $2,720 a year in taxes, while high-income households could benefit from tax cuts averaging $1.5 million annually.

The plan also proposes raising the Social Security retirement age, significantly impacting 73% of Arizona residents. CAP estimates that median-wage retirees may lose between $46,000 to $100,000 over ten years.

Project 2025 could also raise prescription drug costs for 388,850 Arizonans using Medicare by eliminating out-of-pocket cost limits and prohibiting government-negotiated lower drug prices.

Women’s health care would face drastic changes, as the plan calls for using outdated laws to criminalize mailing abortion medication and equipment, effectively creating a nationwide ban. Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes and Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell have both stated they wouldn’t prosecute women seeking an abortion in specific cases.

The proposal also includes cutting federal childcare programs like Head Start, affecting approximately 16,285 low-income children in Arizona.

On education, Project 2025 suggests eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and Title I funding for low-income schools, jeopardizing around 4,295 teaching positions in Arizona and affecting an estimated 97,931 students.

Critics argue these measures aim to enforce Christian nationalist policies in government. Christian nationalism promotes the belief that America should be a Christian nation with Christians controlling all levels of government and society.

Project 2025 taps into both Christian Nationalism and Dominionism, which advocates for Christian dominance over societal aspects. Supporters include figures like Charlie Kirk of TPUSA and Ret. Gen. Michael Flynn, who has promoted the idea of waging “spiritual warfare.”

Flynn has also been active in Arizona, funding partisan audits of the 2020 election and holding misinformation-filled meetings focused on COVID-19. Allies like State Sen. Janae Shamp and Sen. Steve Montenegro have shown support for Flynn’s agenda.

The implementation of Project 2025 could bring transformative changes to Arizona and the nation, reshaping policies in taxes, social security, healthcare, and education, with profound implications for everyday citizens.