Here we provide a budget and finance officers at the local level with a brief primer on conducting cost-benefit analyses to assess the economic viability of municipal solar energy systems. Discussion centers on how to estimate system output and to properly value this output, the various incentives local governments can take advantage of and how the value of these incentives should be calculated, and the impact that different ownership models can have on project economics. This publication is designed to help local officials determine if investing in solar is a financially beneficial decision.