NEW YORK MAYOR . . . PATAKI ON LINE ONE

The rift betweenNew York City Mayor Rudolph Giulianiandincoming New York Gov. George Pataki-- fodder for talk show barbs ever since Pataki refused to return the mayor's congratulatory phone call -- may be on the mend, at least on the public relations level. The governor-elect last night finally agreed to meet one-on-one with Giuliani, who broke GOP ranks to endorse Democratic incumbent Gov. Mario Cuomo this fall. The ice-breaker: Pataki relented on tight fiscal proposals affecting the city's public employees and schools. The standoff had caught the notice ofDavid Letterman, who listed as one of his "top 10 signs your new governor is nuts": "Won't return the phone call of the best damn mayor of the best damn city of the best damn country in the world."