One CNMI House lawmaker is fed up with soaring utility bills and what he describes as mismanagement of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation. As a result, there's a potential class action lawsuit Rep. Vincent Aldan is threatening to file.

Aldan has had enough of soaring utility rates and what he described as mismanagement of the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation. In April, Aldan called on residents to file a class action lawsuit during a Commonwealth Utilities Corporation board meeting. This month, he started a petition that gained over 200 signatures in-person and over a dozen more online

"The reason why I started the petition is because when we were doing our investigation we found out that there are a lot of uncollected debts which is owed to CUC which adds to the FAC rate…the exorbitant amount of costs. On my utility bill, it says my electric usage charge is $22.58, right? But my Fuel Adjustment Charge is $127.22 and to me something is wrong. Something is not right. It does not add up," he said.

He said the board needs to collect what is owed, otherwise, residents will continue to shoulder the cost. Aldan said agencies and commercial businesses need to pay their fair share.

Aldan said, "If the board and the board and management at CUC do not want to get out of their office and do their job, then I guess we are going to have to force them to do it."

Aldan said he doesn’t have a lawyer yet but continues to gain support for the lawsuit ahead of a closed-door meeting with CUC this Thursday.

The lawmaker introduced four utility-related bills so far -- most notably one that would abolish the board and have an elected PUC and the other to remove the government rate and place everyone on a commercial rate set by the PUC.

"The last thing I want to do is sue anybody. But if that is what we have to do to get the government agencies and CUC and everybody else to carry their share of the load then I will do it. I am tired and I am pretty sure everybody else is tired of talking. It is time to move," he said.

In a previous interview, CUC Board Chair Janice Tenorio declined to comment on Aldan’s call for a lawsuit but acknowledged people’s rights saying she respects everyone’s decisions.