Billionaire Dr. Dre and Rep. Maxine Waters clash over $360 million Compton School bond measure

A $360 million school bond measure in Compton has put two of the community's most prominent figures in direct opposition, with hip-hop mogul Dr. Dre publicly championing the effort while Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters is urging residents to vote it down.

The split over Measure CPT, which goes before voters Tuesday, has left educators and local officials confused and, in some cases, flat-out frustrated.

The bond measure would fund the rebuilding and modernization of Dominguez High School, a campus that the Los Angeles Times has reported suffers from outdated plumbing and deteriorating electrical wiring. The school's cafeteria burned down three years ago in what officials suspect was an electrical fire. Beyond Dominguez, Measure CPT would also support repairs across other Compton Unified School District facilities, including aging roofs, heating and ventilation systems, safety upgrades, and overcrowded classrooms.

Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, has thrown his full weight behind the measure. His involvement in Compton's school infrastructure is not new. He donated $10 million toward the construction of the Andre "Dr. Dre" Young Performing Arts Center at the new Compton High School campus, which opened in May 2025. He was also on hand earlier this year at the groundbreaking for a new building at Centennial High School, the school he briefly attended as a freshman in 1979.

"An investment in our schools is an investment in the future of Compton," Dre said in backing the bond.

Waters, a congresswoman who has represented the area since 1991, landed on the opposite side. Her campaign committee sent out a mailer to Compton residents listing Measure CPT on her "sample ballot" under a no vote. The mailer offered no explanation for the opposition. Fine print on the document noted it is not an official party document and that an appearance on a candidate's sample ballot "does not necessarily imply endorsement."

Waters' office has not publicly explained the position.

Compton school board president Micah Ali made clear the stance was not welcome. Waters' position "left me baffled," Ali said, adding that a no vote on the measure would stunt the city's future.

The measure would cost property owners roughly $60 per $100,000 of assessed property value annually, generating approximately $22 million per year while the bonds remain outstanding. Supporters say the measure includes independent citizen oversight and annual audits, with a prohibition on using any of the funds for administrator salaries.

The political dynamics are notable. Waters and Dre were actually on the same side just weeks ago. Both attended the May 7 groundbreaking ceremony at Centennial High School, standing alongside rapper Kendrick Lamar and Will.i.am in a show of community solidarity around education. The Measure CPT dispute has since driven a visible wedge.

Dominguez High School principal Caleb Oliver backed the measure directly. "We have amazing young scholars at Dominguez High School," he said. "I'm proud to be their principal and I'm proud to endorse Measure CPT. I hope our community can come together and help us build a new Dominguez High School."

The broader backdrop is one of sustained investment in Compton's school infrastructure. The new Compton High campus, which opened in 2025 and replaced a 1930s-era building, was itself built with bond money voters approved in 2015. District leaders are hoping voters see Measure CPT as the next chapter in that story.

Whether Waters' opposition will carry weight with Compton voters or simply deepen questions about her judgment on local education issues remains to be seen. Polls close Tuesday and the result will determine whether Dominguez High's long-overdue rebuild gets off the ground.