
Geoffrey Lawrence
Director of Research
Geoffrey Lawrence is director of research at Nevada Policy.Lawrence has broad experience as a financial executive in the public and private sectors and as a think tank analyst. Lawrence has been Chief Financial Officer of several growth-stage and publicly traded manufacturing companies and managed all financial reporting, internal control, and external compliance efforts with regulatory agencies including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Lawrence has also served as the senior appointee to the Nevada State Controller’s Office, where he oversaw the state’s external financial reporting, covering nearly $10 billion in annual transactions. During each year of Lawrence’s tenure, the state received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Award from the Government Finance Officers’ Association.
From 2008 to 2014, Lawrence was director of research and legislative affairs at Nevada Policy and helped the institute develop its platform of ideas to advance and defend a free society. Lawrence has also written for the Cato Institute and the Heritage Foundation, with particular expertise in state budgets and labor economics. He was delighted at the opportunity to return to Nevada Policy in 2022 while concurrently serving as research director at the Reason Foundation.
Lawrence holds an M.A. in international economics from American University in Washington, D.C., an M.S. and a B.S. in accounting from Western Governors University, and a B.A. in international relations from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He lives in Las Vegas with his beautiful wife, Jenna, and their two kids, Carson Hayek and Sage Aynne.
Corporatism Seizes the NV Legislature
Over the past dozen years, Nevada lawmakers have increasingly used their power to pick winners and losers in the economy. They have raised taxes on households and businesses and effectively…
The Unfortunate Rise of 'Lunkhead Economics' in Nevada
A remarkable theme has emerged in recent Nevada legislative sessions, the current one included: Lawmakers have increasingly proposed to fix prices by decree for all manner items necessary to daily…
The Half-Hearted Head Feint for a State Lottery
Few ideas have been rejected more frequently by the Nevada Legislature than a prospective state lottery. At Nevada’s founding in 1864, the state’s predominantly Mormon population believed gambling was sinful…
Ignoring Market Forces Won’t Solve Housing Affordability
“What has failed,” says Culinary Union spokesperson Bethany Khan, “is the current practice of letting huge out-of-town corporations continue to gouge working people on rent.” The Culinary Union –…
Unions Take Aim at Nevada Higher Education
Assembly Democrats are proposing to extend coercive collective bargaining powers to university professors and other professional staff. Assembly Bill 224 lists 27 of the 28 Assembly Democrats as sponsors…
Conine Pursues Costly, Misguided New Entitlement Program
Nevada Treasurer Zach Conine wants the legislature to create a new entitlement program for those born in Nevada called “Baby Bonds.” Conine’s proposed legislation would replicate a program created…
An Agenda for the Nevada Legislature as Session Begins
This week, Nevada lawmakers convene for their biennial 120-day session and, following an ambitious first State of the State address from new Gov. Joe Lombardo, expectations will be modest.
Lombardo Should Pursue Charter Agencies
Newly elected governor Joe Lombardo will soon step into a budget proposal that he largely inherits from outgoing Governor Steve Sisolak. At best, Lombardo’s team will have a few days…
Lombardo debería buscar agencias chárter
El recién elegido gobernador Joe Lombardo pronto entrará en un proyecto de presupuesto que hereda en gran parte del gobernador saliente Steve Sisolak. En el mejor de los casos, el…