CHARLESTON — Breweries and distillers need to be hit with a fresh tax, dedicated exclusively to treating substance abusers as a means of lowering West Virginia’s burgeoning prison population, Sen. Shirley Love suggested Monday.

Taking his final turn at co-chairing the Legislative Oversight Committee on Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, the retiring senator called for a higher tax on alcohol and dedicating revenues to rehabilitation.

Love’s idea came after learning that about 85 percent of all inmates locked up in West Virginia committed crimes while abusing drugs or alcohol.

“Tobacco is a killer,” Love, D-Fayette, told fellow members of the committee. “No doubt about it. That was recognized nationally and it was taxed.

“Alcohol is a killer, without a doubt. Alcohol is responsible for a certain percentage of the escalation of the population in our prisons as well as other drug-related problems. When have these entities been taxed? When was the last tax on a barrel of beer? I can’t remember that being taxed since I’ve been in the Legislature.”

If he weren’t retiring, Love said he would offer such a proposed “sin tax” increase in the 2009 session.

Love’s comments came after Military Affairs and Public Safety Secretary James Spears painted a grim future for the rising prison population — a projected 8,530 inmates by 2012, contrasted with an earlier projection of 7,130.

“No one element of government can tackle this alone,” Spears said, applauding a move by Gov. Joe Manchin to name a special commission to examine the growing inmate population.

Committee members approved the idea but amended a motion calling for a Republican to be appointed to the commission.

First off, Spears said, the commission recognizes that all three branches of government must strive for solutions.

“No one branch of government has a silver bullet,” he said.

Spears said the panel will look at sentencing statutes, the prospects of adding bed space at Mount Olive Correctional Complex and St. Marys, an expansion of substance abuse programs, and a more sophisticated means of collecting data.

As for increasing bed space at existing facilities, Spears told the panel, “So, we do have the ability to expand without building a new prison.”

A day earlier, Spears said the state might be compelled to build a new prison at an estimated cost of $200 million.

That led Love to tout a higher tax on alcoholic beverages, saying they are available anywhere and should be forced to contribute to those who abuse them and wind up in prison.

“I know these boys running the bars don’t want to hear what I’m saying, but it’s been a long time since they paid their dues,” he said.

Sen. Randy White, D-Webster, relished the prospects of the commission reviewing modern sentencing laws, suggesting harsher penalties to some extent were born out of a desire by politicians seeking re-election to project a get-tough-on-crime persona.

Some such as White feel alternative sentencing should be broadened so that nonviolent offenders are redeployed into society and more room is available for the dangerous elements.

“I think the new slogan should be, instead of being tough of crime, be smart on crime,” he said.