Morning Consult puts Wolf at 48% approval rating, budget negotiations continue, Ceisler gets the Pennsylvania Building and Trades Council endorsement, and our readers think Cartwright is the most vulnerable Congressman in 2018.  Good morning politicos, here’s the Playbook!

Morning Consult: 48% Approve of Wolf: In the latest national rankings of Gubernatorial approval rankings, Governor Tom Wolf has a 48% approval rating.

Reader Poll: Cartwright is The Most Vulnerable Congressman in the 2018 General Election: A plurality of our readers believe that Congressman Matt Cartwright is the most vulnerable incumbent Congressman in 2018.

Budget Negotiations Continue, Work Still Needed: As budget negotiations near three weeks past the deadline, Senate and House leaders are still holding closed door meetings to try to close a $2 billion budget gap.

Pennsylvania Building and Trades Council Endorses Ceisler: The Pennsylvania Building and Trades Council endorsed Judge Ellen Ceisler in her run for the Commonwealth Court.

Statewide
StateImpact: Street construction poses hidden danger of lead-laced drinking water
City and State: In PA’s most competitive Congressional districts, the race is on
City and State: Stop-and-go reform effort continues in state Senate
PLS Reporter: Commonwealth Court sides with Pittsburgh over police salary
PLS Reporter: PA Senate leaves town as leaders mull House GOP revenue counterproposal
Capitol Wire: Turzai proposals dominate budget talks

Philadelphia
Inquirer: Pa. mothers whose children rely on Medicaid keep up the pressure
Inquirer: Lancaster nuns sue feds over pipeline, citing religious freedom
Inquirer: New office to police $60 million Philly spends on antiviolence programs
Inquirer: So many immigrants fear Trump that Comcast’s Telemundo is running a phone bank
Inquirer: Your Pa. Turnpike tolls are going up
Inquirer: Judges will vote, via top hat, for interim DA
Philadelphia Tribune: Wolf projects big cash blows to state under Senate health bill
Philly Mag: Beverage Groups Takes Soda Tax Lawsuit to Pa. Supreme Court
WHYY: Pa. budget deal remains elusive

SEPA
West Chester Daily Local: Lawmakers continue talks about funding Pa. budget
Pottstown Mercury: Sen. Dinniman: Halt Mariner East 2 pipeline drilling
Bucks County Courier TImes: Another first for PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards, of Montgomery County: First woman to lead PA Turnpike Commission
Bucks County Courier Times: Commissioners OK preservation of 200th Bucks County farm
Bucks County Courier Times: Turnpike tolls to increase 6 percent Jan. 7
Bucks County Courier Times: Democrats swap supervisor candidates in Lower Makefield
Delco Times: Activists call for pipeline shutdown after spill

Pittsburgh
Tribune Review: House budget blueprint boosts military, cuts benefits
Tribune Review: Paying tribute to fallen State Trooper Michael Stewart
Tribune Review: Pennsylvania DEP to cite PWSA over failure to replace lead lines
Post-Gazette: Last-ditch Senate effort on healthcare collapses
Post-Gazette: Trump had second conversation with Putin in Germany
Post-Gazette: Negotiations on how to fund Pennsylvania take a turn for the worse
Pittsburgh Business Journal: House Republicans plan $203bn in US spending cuts
Pittsburgh Business Journal: Health care: McConnell takes a new tack
WESA: Senators Return to Capitol, But Budget Deal Remains Elusive
KDKA: At Pa. Capitol, Budget Negotiations Drag On
KDKA: Council Considering Raising Realty Transfer Tax To Fund Low-Income Housing

Southwest
Beaver County Times: Casey, Wolf call for bipartisan reform after GOP health-care plan fails; Toomey vows repeal
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Hundreds pay last respects to fallen state police trooper
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Lawmakers may feel little push to close out budget
Altoona Mirror: County project list keeps growing

NEPA
Times Leader: NBC hits Luzerne County diner for feedback on Trump’s first six months
Times Leader: Regional push for stormwater management means new homeowner fee
Times-Tribune: Scranton mayor releases legal bills of special counsel in sewer, parking deals
Standard-Sepaker: Emergency action recommended for Hazleton finances

South Central
Carlisle Sentinel: Talks over Pa. budget deadlock take unexpected turn
Patriot News: Pa. state budget update: House Republicans offer new no-taxes plan to raise revenue
Patriot News: Catholic nuns take fight against Pa. gas pipeline to the feds
Patriot News: Turnpike tolls to increase 6 percent next year
Patriot News: Pa. state budget update: House Republicans offer new no-taxes plan to raise revenue
LNP: Should Lancaster declare itself a sanctuary city? [We The People report]
LNP: Pennsylvania sets voluntary painkiller prescription guidelines, while Kentucky creates mandatory 3-day limit
LNP: Turnpike tolls to rise 6% again in January
LNP: Not just bike lanes: Upcoming city street painting to add 50+ parking spaces downtown

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Who spent the most per vote hoping to be Allentown mayor? It’s not who you might think.
Reading Eagle: Trump to nominate former Utah Gov. John Huntsman as ambassador to Russia
Reading Eagle: U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey in favor of bill to repeal Obamacare
Express Times: What your senators are saying about the failed health care repeal

North by Northwest
Centre Daily Times: Clearfield County judges, prothonotary continue sparring
Erie Times-News: Polito sworn in as Erie schools chief

Opinion
Inquirer: Philly’s likely future DA on cutting Medicaid: ‘If you want more crime, it’s exactly what you would do.’
Daily News: Trump’s secret Putin pow-wow: What could go wrong?
Tribune Review: Pass Pa.’s Medicaid reforms
Tribune Review: Real VA accountability: Overdue housecleaning
Reading Eagle: Tax-shift amendment offers hope but no guarantees
Express Times: Poll: What’s the best way forward on health care?
Bucks County Courier Times: Cops shouldnt compete against roads for state money
Bucks County Courier Times: Stinging defeat for Republicans
Patriot News: This is why we can’t give up the fight to end school property taxes: Opinion