"Gary Ackerman has a track record in Washington of being against home ownership in America," declared Grant Lally. "Matinecock Court illustrates Ackerman's disregard in Washington of the right to pursue the American dream."

Lally was referring to votes Ackerman has taken in the United States Congress. Ackerman took a blatantly partisan vote against Jack Kemp's HOPE program in 1992 (Vote 343, 7/29/92) that would have allowed low-income families to own their own homes.

"Jack Kemp has been a passionate advocate for home ownership in America. Do not be fooled by Ackerman says about home ownership, watch what he does. Ackerman is no friend of home ownership," Lally continues.

The Gary Ackerman papertrail continues. On June 29, 1994, Gary Ackerman took another blatant party line vote against home ownership. The vote, (CQ Vote 307, HR 4624) would have cut the accounts for new construction and reconstruction of public housing by $448 million and increase the amount provided for rental assistance under the Section 8 existing housing certificate program and housing voucher program by $179 million.

"Gary Ackerman is against empowering people to make their own decisions and take control of their lives," Lally concludes. "Ackerman is nothing more than a rubber-stamp for government run public housing. Our Congressional district is about opportunity and the American dream. If Ackerman lived here maybe he would understand that. Ackerman has lived off public money for the past eighteen years, and eighteen years of Gary Ackerman is long enough."