Phil Matier

Last year, Governor Newsom projected a $100 billion surplus in the state budget, but now, due to sharp declines in tax revenue, the state is facing a $22.5 billion dollar deficit For more. KCBS Radio news anchor Eric Thomas spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

It has been headline news for days now: the firing of Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong. Oakland has seen at least ten different police chiefs come and go since the police department came under federal oversight over 20 years ago. For more on this, KCBS Radio news anchors Margie Shafer and Eric Thomas spoke with KCBS Radio Insider Phil Matier.  

The revolving door is spinning again at the Oakland Police Department. Fired Chief LaRonne Armstrong says he's still weighing his legal options. In the meantime, new Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao refused to answer follow-up questions today. But, supporters of Armstrong were heard loud and clear on the steps of City Hall today and they are not happy. For more insight, KCBS Radio news anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

Major League Baseball has been focusing a lot of attention lately on how a Las Vegas relocation would work for the Oakland A's, even though nothing is final, it could be a bad sign for Oakland.  For more KCBS Radio's Margie Shafer and Eric Thomas spoke with KCBS insider Phil Matier.  

As we've been reporting, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has fired Police Chief LeRonne. Armstrong had been on paid leave following a report which claimed the chief failed to follow up on misconduct charges against one of the department's sergeants. The department's last police chief who wasn't an acting or interim chief was Anne Kirkpatrick. She filed suit against the city after being fired and won. For more, KCBS Radio news anchors Patti Reising and Bret Burkhart spoke with KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

It'll be the end of an era in the United States Senate when California's Dianne Feinstein retires at the end of next year. As we've been reporting, she announced yesterday on Twitter that she wouldn't seek re-election and it'll be a hotly contested race, several of her colleagues have already thrown their hat in the ring for the seat.  For more,  KCBS Radio Anchors Eric Thomas & Margie Shafer are joined by Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is asking the Board of Supervisors to make an exception on the city's sanctuary city law in order to get the cooperation of the Department of Homeland Security in extraditing two men to San Francisco, but that would require the city to notify the DHS if the two men were released from jail. KCBS news anchors Margie Shafer and Matt Bigler are joined by KCBS Insider Phil Matier. 

To ban or not to ban the sale of natural gas appliances in the Bay Area - that is what regional pollution regulators will vote on next month. If the ban is approved, it would require new homes to have electric water heaters and heat pumps as opposed to furnaces and would ban owners of older homes from  repairing gas furnaces and heaters that break down, forcing them to buy electric alternatives.  

Facing nearly a quarter of a billion dollar budget deficit in the next few years, the San Francisco MTA is likely to extend metered parking hours through 10pm and start charging people to park at those meters on Sundays. For more KCBS Radio's Eric Thomas and Margie Shafer are joined by KCBS Insider Phil Matier...

San Francisco Mayor London Breed gave her annual State of the City address yesterday, her outlook for the city: revitalizing downtown, housing, and more. For more, KCBS Radio's Margie Shafer is joined by Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

Mayor London Breed delivered her annual State of the City address today, laying out plans to take on San Francisco's biggest challenges. The biggest one named is the city's struggling downtown - saying it's not coming back as we know it and that's okay.  The mayor hasn't been shy about trying to get people back into the office. Are you surprised she made this admission especially during a state of the city address?

It's been about 5 months since San Francisco leaders said they'd stop illegal street vending in the city but city workers are running into roadblocks making that happen. For more, KCBS Radio anchor Margie Shafer is joined by KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

KCBS Radio's Bret Burkhart and Patti Reising Insider Phil Matier on why some are proposing to create an SF red-light district amid concerns over Mission District sex work.. 

According to a new budget forecasts, San Francisco’s transportation agency is looking at a potential 214 million dollar deficit in just a few years and that means the agency will be looking to generate more income so those forecasts don't become reality. For more , KCBS Radio anchors Eric Thomas & Margie Shafer are joined by KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

Several Californians are among the invited guests tonight, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul and a farmworker advocate who's been helping those working at two farms in Half Moon Bay following the recent mass shooting there.  So Phil what is California looking for in tonight's speech and is it likely to get it?  

The City of Oakland is still trying to keep the A's and house them at the planned Howard Terminal stadium, but Las Vegas is making moves on the team too and Major League Baseball wants a decision to happen soon either way. For more, KCBS Radio anchors Eric Thomas & Margie Shafer are joined by KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Dianne Feinstein are asking federal officials to look into why natural gas prices are so high. What are they hoping for?

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao is facing a tough decision on whether to reinstate Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong, and he's pushing for the release of evidence he says would bolster his case to be back at work. For more KCBS Radio's Eric Thomas and Margie Shafer are joined by KCBS Insider Phil Matier.

Could Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson be the next California senator? There's speculation floating around after someone purchased domain names that would seem to indicate a Senate race. Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi said yesterday that she would endorse Representative Adam Schiff if Senator Dianne Feinstein decides not to run. For more on this story, KCBS Radio news anchors Eric Thomas and Margie Shafer spoke with KCBS insider Phil Matier and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.

As we've been reporting on KCBS, plans for the proposed Oakland Coliseum took a significant step forward this week as a developer has signed on to exclusively negotiate on the build. But, the city isn't the only owner of the Coliseum..  Several City Council members and even Mayor Sheng Thao were all there for the announcement, but if you really want the inside story, you have to look at who was missing. For more, KCBS Radio's Patti Resing and Bret Burkhart spoke with KCBS insider Phil Matier.