NEW THIS MORNING

THANKS, BUT NO THANKS: A top choice for Queens Republicans to run in the newly created Asian-American Senate district in Flushing has decided not to run after briefly considering the position, according to sources familiar with his decision: http://bit.ly/zslZ6O NEW THIS MORNING: * New York's state courts plan to speed foreclosure cases by increasing judges' power to mete out punishments and requiring banks to provide agents authorized to change loan terms, the New York Times reports: http://nyti.ms/yNbVzT * Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration has done little to enforce its claim the state has a right to tax cigarettes manufactured on the state's Indian reservations, the Times writes: http://nyti.ms/x0iicb * Newark Mayor Cory Booker and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said they never authorized the NYPD's spying on Newark's Muslim residents, the Associated Press reports: http://on.wsj.com/zkm5uk * Senate Democrats made clear that they have enough members block new district lines drawn by LATFOR if the GOP majority tries to override Cuomo's potential veto, the Daily News writes: http://nydn.us/xMALPm * Same-sex marriage helped New York City's marriage bureau earn an additional $200,000 from licenses from August to December last year, the New York Post writes: http://nyp.st/zc10c7 * New York City doubled down on efforts to seize illegally-operated taxis after the five-borough taxi plan passed the Legislature, and now needs an extra tow-pound to hold the vehicles, the Post reports: http://nyp.st/ypOz1v